When Weddings Attack
by myboygeorge
Summary: With only 6 months to go, Alexis and Shane seem to hit nothing but snag after snag in planning their wedding.  Will their big day be a dream or a disaster waiting to happen?
1. Don't Jinx It

To call Alexis tired on this particular Thursday afternoon was to say the Atlantic Ocean was a little bit damp. It was taking all her energy to just stay awake for the bus ride from the heart of campus out to Baker street, two blocks from the Princeton campus gates. Normally she would walk but she was afraid she actually might sit down in the snow, nod off and freeze to death.

And who wanted that when there was her future hubby's soup waiting for her at home in the fridge? In the time it would take her to get a refreshing and warming shower, Alexis would be able to heat it up in her slow cooker and eat while wrapped up in her big thick and fluffy bathrobe and miss its maker.

'Alexis?'

'Huh?' She looked up blearily when her classmate Lindsay Sabern poked her in the shoulder. 'What?'

'It's your stop, girl.'

Alexis looked up, saw she was at the end of Baker Street. 'Oh, thanks Lindsay. See you later.'

'Tell me how the party goes this weekend,' Lindsay replied as Alexis gathered her things up and deboarded the bus.

The air had a bracing chill to it which most people would have complained about, but for Alexis to walk to the middle of the street where her apartment building was located it was exactly what she needed to stay awake. One foot in front of the other, she told herself, and then before you know it, you'll be home.

She made it into the building, up the elevator and when she was two feet from her door Alexis let out a snarl. She knew that smell a mile off - her roommate Ursula had stolen her stash of Shane's pea soup and was taking it all for herself. Well, today she'd picked the wrong day to be a snack thief.

Biding her time and holding her temper in check until she was through the door, all recriminations died instantly when she saw Shane standing at the stove, stirring the contents of a stockpot with a long-handled wooden spoon.

'Hey, sweets,' he greeted her, glancing up when he'd heard the door open. 'Thought you might like this for dinner tonight.'

'What are you doing here? I thought you were coming down later tonight,' Alexis cried happily, dropping her purse and rushing over to give him a hug and a kiss hello. She wanted to burrow into him and weep from exhaustion, and it must have been all over her face, as Shane cupped her cheeks in his hands and looked her in the eye. 'What, what is it?'

'You are exhausted. Go. Hot shower, comfy clothes, then soup and an hour's nap.'

'Shane, I have a tonne of work to do.'

'Anything that can't wait?'

'No, but...okay.' Alexis gave him a kiss and sighed. 'Remember this when you want to go out with Body and Jeremy after working doubles in the summer, yes?'

'I understand.' Shane gave her ass a loving slap and turned her towards her bedroom. 'Besides, the sooner you do that, the sooner it will be time for loving and wedding talk.'

'I like that.'

Shane laughed as she toddled off, thoroughly wrung out. He was going to be glad when March hit, because she'd be back doing her clinical work and have some semblance of a normal life back instead of working around the clock cramming in information. She wouldn't half-ass it, though, even if her specialty was psychiatry and she was already getting offers from her clinical placement that once she was graduated, she would be more than welcome to work with them and find a mentor in her current supervisor.

He had a feeling she was going to take it, too, to get herself started up until she was able to start working with the police because he knew her ultimate ambition was to be a criminal profiler. As she was working already counseling troubled youths in this pilot project, Shane knew she was off to a good start for it.

Upon hearing the sound of running water in the bathroom, the hiss and whine of pipes as she turned on the shower, Shane turned the pot on the stove down to a warming simmer no different than a slow cooker. He followed her trail of clothes from the bedroom to the bathroom and when he knew she was in the shower, he quietly crept in and stripped to his skin.

'Babe, I'm coming in,' he announced, and pulled the curtain aside to see his beautiful bride-to-be with a face full of green gunk and her hair coated with some kind of clear goo. 'Hello swampy thing.'

'That tired swampy thing to you.' Alexis tipped her head back to rinse the shampoo from her hair and the deep-cleansing mask from her face. 'I opted for shower and not a bath so I don't risk falling asleep and drowning.'

'Good plan. You all rinsed off?'

'Yes, why?'

Shane dipped his head and brushed his lips over hers. 'So you don't taste like soap.'

'Ah, I see. Lemme check.'

Alexis pulled him in for a kiss, parting his lips with her tongue ever so slightly. 'Nope, you don't taste like soap either.'

'Thanks, baby.'

Shane cocked an eyebrow at her, kissed her again. 'I better check, just to make sure you don't taste soapy anywhere else.'

Carefully crouching down, he planted a trail of kisses down the centre of her body while he gripped her hips tightly; he knew the pressure of his hands would help keep her steady. He let his tongue just graze her skin, make her gasp and tremble for him until he reached that sweet juncture of her thighs. Nudging them apart he dipped his tongue there, flicking it out and grazing her, making her moan and sigh for him.

Alexis let her head roll back on her shoulders, hot steaming water coursing over her forehead and down her body while her knuckles turned white on the shower's safety-grip bar behind her. The urge to rock her hips against him had such a different feel when they were together like this, as there was no sense of pressure for her to relate to, no sense of gravity, just herself in the free-fall of a building orgasm.

'Shane,' she whimpered, daring to let one fine-boned hand slick through his dark, damp curls, 'please.'

'Please what?' he murmured in response, his fingertips moving over the inside of her thigh to give her an added little jolt. 'What does my Alexis want?'

'Your tongue...baby, use it on me.'

Understanding her perfectly, Shane let his fingers stroke her and with a move that was quick as lightening, laved his tongue over her trigger, making her muscles clench as she cried out in delight.

'God!'

Shane smiled against her body, and moved a hand to the small of her back as he did it again and again until he felt her go tense above him as she cried out she was coming, then go limp as she slumped against the wall of the shower, breasts rising and falling rapidly as she fought for breath. Love for her, sweet and pure, ran through him like a fever when he saw the lush happy look to her face as she drifted on the bliss of orgasmic come-down.

'Shane,' she murmured, 'I had no idea that was exactly what I needed. I love you so much for it.'

'I love you too, Lex.'

'Your turn?'

'No, I'm okay.' Shane gestured to himself. 'Don't take it as an insult that I'm not at full salute for you, Alexis, because I'm pretty damn tired myself, but I know you were much more tired than me.'

'Ah, so we are saving our energy for making love in bed later?' Alexis asked him and he nodded, touched the tip of his finger to his nose. 'That's fine by me, sweetheart. Right now, I want to eat that soup you made for me, take a little rest and then talk wedding a little bit later.'

'Sound like a plan to me.'

Alexis gave him a kiss, shut off the water and reached for her towel. The wonders a shower-orgasm could do with the love of your life, she thought with a sweet little smile to herself.

* * *

><p>Later, when the books had been tromped through as much as Alexis could get through that night, and they had indeed made love in Alexis' big comfy bed, they lay twined together just enjoying the feel of the other's body against one another. Shane knew most would have called it cuddling; he preferred to think of it as quality naked hugging since Alexis had such limited spare time as a medical student.<p>

'So, we never did talk wedding,' he realized, twisting a strand of Alexis' red hair around his finger. 'What did you have in mind?'

'How many florists are we planning to go to tomorrow when we're back in the city?' she inquired.

'Three, I think. Why?'

'Because I was thinking maybe we might have dinner at the Meerkat before the party and do a scouting job of their caterer.'

'Reservations are already made,' Shane told her, making her smile and kiss him. 'You're welcome.'

'You think this is a jinx on us?' Alexis pondered, cuddling against his still-smooth chest. 'That we've been able to get through so much wedding planning hitch free that the day-of will be a total disaster?'

'Yes, yes, I do.'

'Seriously?'

'Of course not,' he scoffed, earning a playful punch in the belly for his troubles. 'I think we are going to have a spectacular wedding, Alexis and nothing, come hell or high water, is going to ruin this journey for us.'


	2. The Bio Mom Gaffe

The following afternoon, after visiting Meredeth and Esposito in Chelsea, Shane and Alexis had decided to dress for their engagement party at Castle's loft, as Shane knew the father of the bride wanted some of those precious moments with his firstborn baby girl before the night got too crazy for them. He didn't mind those kinds of indulgences because there was a perk for him as well - spending time with RJ being his favourite.

Like now, as he was looping a Windsor knot on his one-and-only Hermes tie, his father's Chanukah present to him, RJ was sitting on the end of the bed in the master bedroom, his expression one of thoughtfulness.

'Shane?'

'Yeah, buddy.'

'I haffa question.'

Shane couldn't control the laugh as he finished tying his tie, RJ watching him studiously. 'RJ, you always have a question.'

'This a weddin' question.'

'Fire away.'

'Wha' you call?' RJ frowned as he tried to sort out his thoughts into words. 'Alessis is a buh-ride, so you a boy-buh-ride?'

'In a manner of speaking. Alexis is the bride, and I'm the groom,' Shane explained, adjusting the knot, then turning around for inspection. 'Who is coming to stay with you tonight?'

'Sho-sho an' me visitin' Tah-rini!'

'Oh, of course.' Shane nodded as it came back to him. Meredeth and Esposito had had to turn down the invitation to the engagement party as Meredeth was already overdue and just wanted a quiet night at home. Esposito had invited RJ and Jojo for a stay-over so that the father and mother of the bride would be unfettered with worries over their other children. 'How could I forget that?'

'I no' know. Wow! Alessis, you so go-shus!'

Shane looked over to where his fiancee had stepped out of the ensuite in a bouncy-looking dress of cerulean blue with glittery silver decals in the form of a line of multi-sized hearts down the left side. She had a pair of kitten-heels pumps in her hand as she did a little twirl for her boys.

'Thanks, do I look as good as Trini?'

'Ah-mos', Alessis,' RJ teased her, then wiggled off the bed. 'I go fin' Mumum, say time-a go.'

When the little guy was out of earshot, Shane looked at her as she did a little hip-shimmy. 'Alexis, that dress is just awful.'

'What?'

'I mean, it's disgusting. I have half-a-mind to take you home and get you out of it right away.'

Realizing he was pulling her leg, Alexis sauntered up to him, wrapped her arms around his neck. 'Funny man,' she murmured, kissing him deeply.

They lost themselves in each other for the moment; only when they heard a throat discreetly being cleared did they break apart and glance over to see Castle fighting not to be embarrassed.

'We have to get going to drop RJ off before we head over to your best man's place, Shane,' he informed the happy couple. 'And he's starting to get that impatient sound just like his mother.'

'Say no more, plenty of time later for mooshin' as the little man says,' Shane replied and picked up his jacket, gallantly offered his arm to Alexis. 'Ready almost-bride?'

'Ready almost-groom.'

* * *

><p>The atmosphere of Body and Faisal's apartment was always a welcoming one - a Midtown affair that was a hop skip and a jump from Central Park with the kind of appointments that begged for guests, such as buttery leather sofas and walls of photos that all had a story behind them.<p>

Alexis and Shane had barely stepped through the doorway when Faisal rushed up to them, giving them squeezing hugs and kisses on their cheeks each.

'Congratulations you guys, so happy for you,' he gushed as he helped them with their coats. 'Body was in the kitchen all afternoon making snacks for tonight. Finger foods, as requested, for all courses.'

'Thanks so much Faisal. Have you met my parents yet?' Alexis asked, politely gesturing to Beckett and Castle, and Faisal's dark eyes glittered with welcome.

'I don't believe so, I know I would remember a face like yours, Detective. And I do believe if you look at my shelf,' he added, giving Castle's hand a shake, 'I have all first editions of your books. I'm a collector.'

'Hopefully they'll be worth something one day,' Beckett teased back, making Faisal and Castle laugh. Stretching her neck up, she sniffed a little. 'Something smells yummy.'

'That would be my man, with goodies from the oven.'

Almost on cue, Body walked into the living room, put a tray of delectable treats on the table; his long tangle of mink-brown hair actually looked like it had been brushed within the last week, a sign he was taking his duties as a best man seriously. 'Here we are, help yourself, plenty more where these came from. And yes, Alexis there are only finger foods so there's no worries about spilling things on your dress.'

'Well, I just thought since we want people to be up and mingling and talking, we should have little bite-size things.'

Her prediction was a good one, for in an hour's time, there were enough people in the apartment that it was pretty much standing room only and the idea of being able to sit down to have a full meal was absolute lunacy. The crowd, too, meant that Shane and Alexis did a lot of mingling both together and separately, as they had all the people they wanted to see who were specifically their friends and not the other's, along with the usual suspects like the Parrish-Robbinses, the Bricks and the Ryans.

After escaping a rather boring conversation with his boss' wife, Shane managed to escape to the bar where he caught the eye of the bartender who knew exactly what to pour him while he sat back and watched Alexis laugh and chat with Lanie and Honey-Milk. He loved when she got to have nights like this, to just put aside the stress of studying, kick back and enjoy herself.

'Well, hello.'

Shane glanced over at the sweetly-purring voice and did a short double take. The woman was recognizable from her films, sure, but there was more to it than that. He saw beneath the obviously-repeated trips under the Botox and collagen needle to the classic oval face with its porcelain skin and blue eyes, wondered if Alexis biological mother knew she didn't need things like that since she obviously had strong genes and bones.

'Hello,' he replied.

'Lovely party, isn't it? So nice to go to these things when they're actually about fun and not work,' Evil Meredith sighed in a blase tone that informed whoever listened that she was a Very Busy and Important Actress but she still made time for the little people. 'Are you a friend of the bride or the groom?'

Shane blinked at her, fought back the laugh as he realized the woman had no clue who he was. Then again, why should she? As far as he knew the real mother in Alexis' life was Beckett, not this bimbo, and Alexis tolerated the times when her mother was around. He sipped his drink, chosing his words carefully. 'I met Alexis through a mutual friend, we bonded over going to medical school at Princeton.'

'Oh, you're a doctor?'

'That's right.'

'How fascinating.' Evil Meredith gave him the once-over, libido thrumming. Never mind that he was a doctor and that always meant money, he was sexy too. Italian, probably, or Greek. Not her usual style but the way he filled out his dress shirt with broad shoulders told her a man with that kind of vanity would be the ideal one-time lover. Men like him were usually so self-absorbed they wanted her out of their bed in minutes once the deed was done. It had been so long since she'd had a man just for fun, and she was aching for a little bit of fun.

Leaning forward on an angle towards the bartender, knowing it would give this hunky-stud a nice peep at her plastic-surgeon's work, she asked, 'Could you make me a gin martini, and...what would you like to drink?'

'I'll take a Manhattan, and a sting-ray, a double-barrel, Scott,' Shane added to the bartender who replied with a subtle wink; Scott worked with the catering branch of Body's restaurant and knew exactly who Shane was, why he wanted a double-barrel sting-ray.

'Right away.'

'Thanks Scott.'

'That's quite a combination of drinks,' Evil Meredith said, inching closer. 'You must have quite the...staying power if you can handle those all night.'

Before Shane could open his mouth in reply, he saw Castle double-time it over to them with a fatherly protection in his eye.

'Meredith,' he called out, catchign the redhead's attention and allowing Shane to ease back and get the drinks Scott had made for him.

'Oh, don't run off,' Evil Meredith told him when she saw Shane turning to leave. 'I'm sure I can ditch him in a few minutes.'

'That's no way to talk about my future father in law,' was Shane glib reply and he had the great joy of seeing the woman blanche.

'Your...you're Alexis' fiance?'

'The only and only. I'll let you too catch up,' he added with a lethal wink before going to find Alexis.

When he found her, she was chatting to a very pregnant Sloan and her man Garrett, and when he handed her his Manhattan, she glanced up confused. 'I wanted the sting-ray,' she started, then blinked when he gulped down the double-shot drink. 'What's up, babe?'

'Your bio-mom just tried to pick me up.'

Alexis snorted out a laugh, then stopped when she saw his face and nodded. 'Oh yeah,I think you'll need another one of those.'


	3. The Pary Night Left Turn

The rest of the party went as smoothly as it could - news of the bride's biological mother hitting on the groom spread like wildfire and had made for a good laugh, so much so that Evil Meredith couldn't circulate the party without going as red as her hair in her pale cheeks, so the queen of the indies with upper-crust breeding took her leave early.

Alexis hated herself for being relieved but the truth was she had only invited Evil Meredith because she knew that her father would get a verbal bitch-slap from her if she didn't. This was, she thought as she slipped off her shoes, the downside of a blended family.

'Shane?' She called to him as she heard the sounds of him brushing his teeth.

'Yeah, wassat?' he replied with a mouthful of toothpaste foam.

'You still trying to get the taste of that sting-ray out?'

He spat, walked down the hallway with his toothbrush in hand and pointed it like a rapier at his beloved. 'There is not enough soap to get rid of the sliminess coating my soul at having your bio-mom try to pick me up.'

'Sweetie, you gotta admit it's kinda funny,' Alexis giggled, standing up to unzip her dress and put it on its hanger.

'How would you feel if it was my dad hitting on you at our engagement party? It's not funny, Alexis Harper,' Shane continued when she sank onto the bed with laughter.

'Yes it is.'

He leaned against the door frame as he watched Alexis unsnap her bra and examine her body in the mirror while she stood just in her panties in front of it. 'Now that's a good look for you.'

'Thanks, baby.'

Alexis sent him a smile that turned a little confused when the houseline rang. It was after midnight, maybe there was something wrong with Jojo? There was only one way to find out.

'Hello? Oh, hi, Daddy. Yeah, we got home about half an hour ago. No, I'll be sure to tell him. Thanks. Love you too.'

'What does Rick want you to tell me?' Shane asked warily.

'That Evil Meredith just texted him and wanted to know if you really were my fiance or if we were just out to make her look foolish.'

Shane rolled his eyes. 'Where's the vinegar? I need to boil my head.'

'Relax, you big baby,' Alexis chuckled, then picked up the ringing houseline once more. 'Daddy, it's...oh, hi! Oh, you're kidding! No, no of course, we'll be there as soon as possible! Right, tell her to stay strong! Bye!'

'Now what?'

'It was Esposito, Meredeth's in the hospital having the baby!'

Shane nodded, swiped the back of his hand over his mouth. 'Well, don't just stand there, get some clothes on.'

* * *

><p>The maternity wing of Saint Vincent's was always a welcoming place, Alexis thought, as she sat in the lounge with her fiance and the others, waiting to hear news of how Meredeth was doing.<p>

By quarter after two, after Honey-Milk updated them that the epidural was administered, she surprised them by asking for Alexis to come with her to see the mama-to-be. A little baffled by the request for some one-on-one time, she followed the nurse down the hall regardless to the birthing suite. The lady of the night had a glassy look to her eyes as she

'Alexis! Hi!' Meredeth looked at her husband. 'I'm a little dopey.'

'Yes, yes you are,' Esposito agreed with a laugh and kissed her sweat-dewed brow. 'I'll leave you to your girl-time.'

'Whee, girl time.'

'See that she doesn't get too loopy, okay Lex?'

Alexis nodded as the nervous papa rose and left them to their own devices. The moment he was gone, Alexis sat down, rubbed her friend's foot even though the epidural meant she wouldn't be able to feel it. 'So, little baby Max is going to make his appearance?'

'Uh-huh, and very fitting that he's going to have the same birthday as my _morfa_ Max did too. February the thirteenth. Oh, goodness, Lex, it was quite the moment.' Meredeth flopped against her pillows and sighed. 'We took RJ and Jojo to my in-laws for dinner, you know, a surprise for RJ especially since he loves Rosalita's cooking.'

'He does. He wants to know her cookies recipes.'

'And then we were having dessert and thinking about going home to Chelsea when I started thinking maybe my B-H contractions were the real deal. Of course, little Duncan said to me, tia Merry, why you makin' faces and of course the jig was up.'

'That's cool.'

'I wanted to give you something tonight, for your engagement party.' Meredeth pointed to her bag and Alexis stood up, went to find it; she discovered a little wrapped parcel in the end pocket of the duffel bag. 'A little something for you.'

'Shouldn't it be for me and Shane?'

'This is just for you, from me.'

Intrigued, Alexis ripped open the paper and pressed a hand to her lips when she saw the trinket inside. It was a cut-glass knick-knack that had an inscription laser-etched onto the smooth surface - _A good marriage is full of great love, loud laughter and delicious food_. It made her laugh out loud. 'Where did you find this?'

'I had it made for you. It was something I was always thinking about when I was getting ready for my wedding to Javi,' Meredeth responded. 'If you can keep all your hungers satisfied, even if not all on the same day, then it's going to last.'

'That's very good advice. Old Danish marriage manuals come up with that one?'

'No, just Momo. She and my _morfa_ they raised three daughters and they loved each other very much. Oh, oh man.'

'Big one?' Alexis looked at the monitors as they beep-beeped.

'No, just a strong one. Max is a good strong boy,' she added as she began to take the slow deep breaths her baby-classes had told her would help.

Alexis watched the monitors, holding Meredeth's hand the whole time. When the beeping subsided and Meredeth took an easier breath, she patted her hand. 'There, that wasn't so bad, was it?'

'You'd think so, since I've already done this twice but no. It doesn't get any easier the more babies you have.' She looked up at the young bride-to-be. 'Have you and Shane talked about babies yet?'

'Yeah, kinda hard not to when you've gone through a miscarriage, right?'

'Oh, Lex, I'm so sorry. I forgot, I-'

'Don't worry about it. We know we want an odd number of children. Probably three.'

'Three?' Meredeth tried to adjust herself in bed, gave Alexis an interested look. 'Why three?'

'Because one can be lonely and a breeding ground for spoiling a child, and two pits one against the other. With three there's companionship and rivalry without bitterness, you know?'

'I get what you mean. It's why I'm glad for the mix Javi and I have.'

'Mere? I've got some more ice for you.' Esposito hovered in the doorway and Meredeth waved him in. He took a seat between Meredeth's bedside and Alexis' chair. 'I'm not interrupting your girl-time, am I?'

'Not at all, Alexis was just telling me how she and Shane are thinking they'll have three babies when the time is right.'

'Like, all at once?' He gave Alexis a toothy, wicked grin. 'Can I be there when you tell your pops you're pregnant? Please? Consider it a birthday gift.'

'How about we get through planning the wedding without anymore incidents like tonight?' she replied with a laugh, even as her cheeks pinked.

'Why, what happened tonight?'

'Oh, right, you weren't there. So I was across the room when this happened, but according to Shane...'

* * *

><p>They waited and waited as the hours crawled by, as they always did when babies were born. Shane had seen the others come and go, yawning and stretching and walking when the sitting got to be too much for them, and occasionally the little ones awoke - unlike some families, they always had the children with them, because the children were just as important as the adults and besides, they were all so rock-headed and stubborn it would be harder to dissuade them than look after them in the lounge or other spaces of the hospital.<p>

'Hey, Ryan,' Shane hissed when he saw the man was awake and trying to clear out the grit from his eyes by way of knuckling them. 'Ryan, I gotta question for you.'

'Wha-sit?' he mumbled.

'Does a c-section birth take this long?'

'It's still an eight-hour time frame at least. Why?'

'Oh, no.' Alexis shook her head, knowing where her fiance was going with this. 'You do not get to decide if, when we have babies, how they come out. I'm the one having them, I get to make that choice.'

'But-'

'No, no buts and no boats.'

Ryan laughed, despite his fatigue. 'Oh, you two are already so married,' he sighed on a little laugh, then looked up at the clock. Almost six thirty in the morning. He hoped everything was going okay with his friends in the delivery room.

'Javi?' Shane looked over when the man arrived at the door of the lounge, looking like a first-time daddy instead of a fourth-time one. 'Is everything okay?'

Shane's question brought everyone to attention and they all focused on Esposito, who just laughed.

'I'm a daddy again. Little Max is here safe and sound.'


	4. The Rabbi Implosion

Alexis groaned and stretched as she leaned back from her laptop, rubbing her eyes in fatigue. If she had to look at one more slide on hemaetopathology, she just might lose her mind. She knew that all doctors had gone through this kind of studying at one point, especially Lanie and Shane since they had to know bloody everything being pathologists, but she was going to be a head-shrinker. Why did she have to study blood disorders?

_Maybe one of your patients has a blood disorder that would interact with their psychiatric medication_, a little voice inside her head told her in a sing-song voice, making Alexis throw down her pen to her desk and groan.

'I know you're right, but I don't wanna anymore. At least not tonight.'

Sighing, knowing it was time to take a short break for the _Dancing with the Stars_ results show, Alexis left her laptop in her room and went to the kitchen of her apartment in search of food. It was nearly nine pm and unless Shane was there, she'd have a small snack after classes and a moderate one later after she'd lost herself in anatomy and cardiology books.

Alexis found fixings in her fridge for a chicken sandwich and garden salad, so she turned on the television and let it numb her mind while she made her meal and boiled the kettle for tea. She didn't realize how out of it she was until she heard the houseline ringing.

'Hello?'

'Hello my sweet.'

The tone of Shane's voice had Alexis' hand pausing on the handle of the teakettle. 'Shane, sweetheart what's wrong? My parents? RJ? Oh, god, is it Jojo?'

'No, nothing like that at all, my love,' he reassured her. 'Rabbi Gershowitz died.'

'Oh, no! He was such a nice man, what happened?'

Shane tried not to laugh as he told her the story; it was just too nonsensical to be plausible. 'He was on vacation, visiting his daughter in Georgia. They were working in her flower garden and having a little friendly spat about the perennials. She told him stop pushing around her petunias and he said be thankful I'm not pushing up daisies. Next minute, he's keeled over clutching his chest.'

'Oh. Oh dear, that's...' Alexis fought not to laugh at the gallows humour of it all. Instead, she tried to be the supportive fiancee for her man. 'Do I need to come home to sit shiva with you?'

'Not at all, we weren't that close, I'm just going to the burial when it's done.'

Alexis frowned as she dunked her loose-leaf tea-ball into her cup of hot water. 'So why the big panic then?'

'We have to meet with his replacement on Friday afternoon before temple, and the rumour is he's not the same style of rabbi as Gershowitz was at all.'

'Okay, well, we'll work it out,' she soothed him. 'We've faced tougher stuff than a dead rabbi before.'

'I know, but...' Suddenly, as Shane listened to her voice with its sweet and considerate logic, the idea of having a different rabbi marry them wasn't overwhelming so much as the grief of losing a man he'd always thought wise and infallible. 'I was just really wanting him to do the ceremony, that's all.'

'Oh, Shane, it's okay. What time do we need to meet with the new guy on Friday?'

'At three, if you can make it.'

'I'll be there.'

'Don't cut something short, though, if-'

'Shane,' Alexis interrupted him in a voice that left no room for arguing, 'I'll be there.'

* * *

><p>On Friday afternoon, Shane tried not to pace as he waited outside the B'Nai Brith Temple on East Thirty-Seventh Street. He was freaked out enough that he now had to have a replacement rabbi for his wedding, but he'd also held back from Alexis the rumour Rabbi Saul Frankel was not the same progressive Rory Gershowitz had been and he insisted that all gentiles go through conversion classes before the man would even discuss a wedding ceremony with the bride and groom.<p>

Alexis was not converting, on that point Shane was very firm. He and Alexis met and fell in love as people not as a Christian and a Jew in his mind. Asking her to become someone she wasn't, however open-minded she happened to be on his faith, did not fly in Shane's world and if that meant finding another place to be married, well...it would break his heart but not as much as not being able to marry Alexis the way they both wanted.

He breathed a little bit easier when he saw her come walking up the street, fatigue forming smudges beneath her eyes like tired little bruises of the mind. When she reached him, he pulled her in for a tight hug and kiss.

'Hey sweetheart,' she murmured, giving his back a little pat. 'It'll work out, not to worry.'

'I know I'm not religious, but I always promised my parents I'd get married in the temple.'

'And we'll honour that, not to worry.' Alexis took his arm, looped it through hers as they walked up the stately stairs to the entrance of the temple.

It reminded her of going to the baptisms of the Esposito babies at San Gabriel's, for some reason. Maybe it was that all religious institutions had the same wax-and-wine smell that mingled with body sweat and furniture polish. Or maybe she was just trying to find some point of commonality since the holidays that she'd celebrated with Shane had been at their home, and her mid-terms always fell during Rosh Hashannah, which meant she'd never been to temple with him.

At the front of the vestibule was a short man with springy pewter curls dressed in simple black pants and shirt, mumbling to himself as he read notes.

'Excuse me, Rabbi Frankel?'

The man looked up and gave them a considering look out of beady black eyes. 'Yes?'

'I'm Shane Weaver, this is Alexis Castle, we have the appointment to talk to you about our wedding ceremony?'

'Oh, right, right. It'll have to wait a moment as I'm preparing for service. My office is right down the hallway, third door on the left.'

Shane bristled, flexed his hand in Alexis'. The new guy had wasted no time ensconcing himself in Rabbi Gershowitz' old quarters, it seemed, and was apparently giving them the brush-off. But not wanting to make trouble, he tugged on Alexis' hand and lead her down the hallway.

Alexis could sense his tension already and knew there had to be some way of calming him down so he didn't go into meeting this new rabbi on the defensive. When they sat down in the office, she knew she had to say something as her fiance started mumbling. He sat stewing in his own black-cloud of a bad mood until the door opened and Frankel came in, reading something off of his Blackberry.

'Okay, Alexis and Shane we will have to make this quick.' Frankel sat down, pulled out what appeared to be a pamphlet and a checklist. 'What day is the wedding set for?'

'July eighth,' Alexis replied.

'Perfect, that will give us plenty of time to prepare over the summer for your conversion Alexis and for you to attend regular services here, as well as Shane. We also are running our marriage preparation courses throughout the fall and I highly recommend signing up now, as they are part of the pre-ceremony checklist. Now, as for-'

'Hold on a moment, sir.' Shane held up a hand. 'Not next year. July eighth this year. Five months from now.'

'Excuse me?' Frankel tipped the silver-rimmed reading glasses down, gave them a look. 'You are coming to me asking to be married in less than six months when there is at least fourteen months worth of work that Alexis needs to do in order to receive proper blessings here?'

'I'm not converting, though, Rabbi Gershowitz was fine with performing a traditional ceremony for us regardless of that,' Alexis replied, the pit of her stomach sinking down as Frankel took off his glasses and set aside his legal pad.

'Then I'm afraid we've reached a stalemate. I cannot in good conscience marry you if both are not recognized religiously as Jews.'

She wanted to cry out he wasn't being fair, but when she saw the mutinous look on Shane's face Alexis held her tongue. 'Do you know of any other temples in the area who would be willing to do so?'

'There might be one or two but I can tell you that it would be seriously frowned on by any of the respectable members of our rabbinical society.'

'Thank you, Rabbi.' Shane rose stiffly, did not offer his hand. 'We'll be in touch.'

With that, the usually easy-going doctor turned on his heel and lengthened his stride so that his fiancee nearly had to run to keep up with him. He waited until they were on the street before he burst like a balloon.

'Who the fuck does he think he is, making demands like that of you? Gershowitz would slap him silly if he heard it! B'Nai Brith has always been known for its progressiveness, even before Gershowitz!' he fumed, jamming his hands in his jacket pockets and stalking up the sidewalk towards the subway. 'And if he thinks he's going to make you convert just to be a stiff-necked chicken-head, he's got another thing coming.'

Alexis thought about volunteering to go through the conversion just for the wedding, but remembered the blowout they'd had over that just after Jojo was born where he'd insisted that she not convert for the sake of the wedding. It was a road that didn't need to be retraveled so she just kept up with his furious pace as they headed for the metro station.

'Shane, we will work it out. Don't worry.'


	5. The Promise Frustration

'Shane?'

'What?'

'Not that I'm telling you not to be angry, but we are going to a home with three small children and that face is going to make them cry.'

Shane looked at his reflection in the steel paneling of the elevator, saw that he was approaching gargoyle-levels of anger in his expression and sighed. 'Okay, okay, I'll try to calm down. I don't want them thinking I'm a golem or something.'

'Like in _Lord of the Rings?_'

'No.' The laugh that bubbled up in Shane's throat made him feel a little better as they walked off the elevator. 'Not Gollum, a _golem, _a mythical creature from Jewish folklore that was made of clay and animated as an avenger.'

'Ah, okay. But at least I've gotten you laughing.'

'And I love you for it.'

'I love you too.'

Shane leaned in, gave her a kiss, then knocked on the door. A few minutes later there was the sound of pattering feet along with the solid ones of an adult, and moments after, they were greeted by Lanie and Finn Parrish-Robbins.

'Hi! Hi!' Finn chirped brightly.

'Hi, Finn, how are you big guy?' Alexis crouched to give the little man a hug; Finn Parrish-Robbins loved being held and touched so she wasn't surprised when he stayed in her arms as she stood back up. 'Are you excited for you birthday soon?'

'I big.' Finn patted his chest with pride. 'Big boy.'

'You are a big boy, indeed.'

'Moosh?'

'Oh, man, you too?' Alexis pretended to groan in frustration, then laughed out loud when Finn pursed up his little lips like a gold fish. She pecked them, then set him on the floor. 'Why don't you go tell your brother and sister we're here?'

' 'Tay. Ca-wee! 'Let! See Lissy!'

'That's a different one,' she chuckled as Lanie gave them hugs and kisses in greeting, not surprised when Shane added on, 'Dave around?'

'Sure, he's in the kitchen, and I'm sure there's a beer with your name on it.' Lanie watched her colleague and friend take off, then looked back at Alexis. 'What's with him?'

'I'm sure you know his rabbi died suddenly when he was on vacation, right? Well,' she continued at Lanie's nod, 'we just came from meeting with his replacement and he refused to marry us because I'm not converting.'

'Oh, man, that's rough. Well, there's a bottle of red waiting just for us at dinnertime. We're having baked beef and roasted potatoes.'

'Lissy! See?'

Finn's little voice bellowed down the hallway as he all but dragged his brother and sister with him; they were holding each of his hands and sharing smiles. 'See? Ca-wee! 'Let!'

'Alexis! Hello Alexis!' Carey gave her a hug, as did Violet, around the legs so Alexis was rendered immobile. 'Are you excited to be getting married soon?'

'Mama say you gonna be a pity pin-cess!'

'When do we get to see your pretty dress?'

'We gonna haffa dance?'

'Okay, okay, one at a time,' Lanie told her babies as she ushered them towards the kitchen, where they found Shane and Dave engrossed in conversation. Or rather, Shane was letting off steam with Dave listening in his easy-going way. 'How goes the boy-talk in here?'

'Well, we are at the point of agreeing that Shane and Alexis deserve the best for their wedding and what's right for them. This does not include being married by a...what did you call him?'

'A stiff-necked chicken-head.'

'Right, a stiff-necked chicken-head who thinks that everyone's happy to play by the rules.'

'Well, that's an improvement from the subway trip here,' Alexis commented, relieved to see her man a little less murky. 'I would love to say what he said on the ride over but there are little kids here.'

'I big!' Finn declared vehemently.

'But we are still little and not meant to hear certain words,' Carey told his little brother, poking his ribs. 'Where's your froggy? Let's go find him!'

'Let's go, Finn!' Violet added, scooping Finn along with her so the grown-ups could talk.

'They're pretty self-contained,' Shane commented as Dave rose to check on dinner. 'Must be nice.'

'Oh, just wait for it,' he chuckled, opening the oven door. 'Give it like five minutes and one will be out here upset because the other two weren't sharing.'

'Yeah, but that's inherent in siblings,' Lanie pointed out. She took the bottle of wine from the fridge and poured Alexis a glass, passed it to her. 'My older sister made my life hell until she turned fourteen, then it was making my parents' losing their minds. Anyways, back to the wedding. On a scale of 'getting lobster instead of crab' to 'the apocalypse is upon', where does the rabbi's death land?'

'Well, let's sigh.' Shane sighed, scratched his head. 'B'Nai Brith was my temple that I've gone to since I was nineteen and first going to school here. Rory, that Rabbi Gershowitz, he started there when I was in my second year and he was amazing. I knew whenever I got married, I wanted him to do it at that temple.'

'Is there any way you can bring in your own rabbi?' Dave ventured.

'It's not like taking wine to a restaurant and being charged a corking fee, baby,' Lanie said; they may have both been baptized Catholic but neither was religious in the slightest and probably had as much knowledge of Judaism as a potato. 'Or even when Andrea asked Cam to be one of her nurses during Nessa's birth. Or am I wrong?'

'No, you've got that pretty much right. I- We can't get married in the only place I've thought about marrying the love of my life and we have no rabbi with less than six months to go before the wedding.' He looked at Lanie with a beleaguered expression. 'So nothing major.'

'Which is more important?' Dave looked at them both, folded his arms over his chest. 'Who marries you or where you're married?'

'Who does the marrying,' Alexis replied. 'You can have a Jewish ceremony pretty much anywhere, but Shane promised his mother we'd have it in front of a rabbi, so...'

'What about a judge?' Lanie offered.

'That might work, but I really want it to be in front of a religious leader, not a justice of the peace or something.' Shane shook his head. 'It might not be a big deal to me, but it's a big deal to my parents. My grandparents were in the Holocaust, you know? On top of which it's the only thing they are wanting a say in for the wedding.'

They all sat in silence for a moment, thinking about it until the tranquility was broken by Finn coming down the hallway in search of his parents. 'Mama? Nicky.'

'You're snacky? Well dinner's almost ready. You want some juice?'

'Piz.'

Lanie went to the fridge and found a junior-sized juice-box for the little guy, who proceeded to hand it over to Alexis. 'Hep?' he asked sweetly, hope shining in his big brown eyes. 'Piz?'

'Okay, since you asked nicely.' She outfitted the tetra-pak with the straw, handed it to him then knit her brows together when Finn tugged on her shirtfront so she was down at eye-level with him. 'What's up, Finn?'

'Tink.' Finn gave her cheek a little kiss, then wandered off sucking grape juice up through his straw, leaving Shane to roll his eyes.

'Great, first I lose a wedding venue and a rabbi in one afternoon, now I have an eleven month old putting the moves on my fiancee.'

Dave laughed, slapped Shane's shoulder heartily. 'I think this is the time when we call in the heavy artillery. How does an Irish carbomb sound?'

Through dinner, Alexis didn't say a word as her fiance continued to get more and more bombed with his friend; she knew he needed to just obliterate everything from that afternoon and start fresh the next day. As he had the day off and Alexis had a break between classes and prepping for her placement at the clinic which started again on Monday, she didn't bother to remind him after three carbombs he would barely be able to see straight.

Sure enough, even after coffee and dessert, Shane was still unbelievable hammered so she sprung for a cab to get them home safely, and poured her man into bed.

'Lexy,' he mumbled as she helped him out of his clothes, 'what are we going to do? It's the one promise I made them.'

'I know, my sweet, and we'll figure it out.'

'I love you so much, you are the best-estest.'

'I love you too. Now rest up that head of yours so it doesn't turn into a pumpkin tomorrow.'

* * *

><p>The next morning, Shane awoke with a cotton-mouth and sand-paper eyes but the scent that filled his nose was pure heaven - his sweet and loving woman had put a mug of coffee along with two Tylenol and a note on his bedside table.<p>

_Morning knucklehead, gone to the library to study without disturbing your recovery. Also check out , it my have a solution. Love Lex._

He downed the tiny white pills and drank the coffee, then taking the note decided to have a look at the website she'd given him. A second cup of coffee later he was looking at his laptop screen and grinning as much as his hangover would allow him to.

'Lex, you are a genius.'


	6. The Baby Uncertainty

'Lex, what do you think of this one?'

Sloan held up a purple onsie against her body, as if she was burping a baby. 'Too girlish?'

'Since you don't know what you're having, I'd say yeah,' Alexis agreed as they wandered Pea in a Pod looking for baby clothes for Sloan and Garrett's offspring. 'How come you guys decided to wait?'

'I wanted to know, but Garrett's hell-bent on being surprised.' Sloan rubbed her belly where her baby was doing loops and turns. 'Darling, Mommy's trying to shop and buy you pretty things, how about you let me do it in peace?'

Alexis watched her friend, and gave a little laugh. 'Is this what you consider a good mommy bonding moment?'

'Absolutely. You and Shane will get it when you have your own babies.'

'Sloan?'

'Yes, Lex.'

'What was going through your mind when you told your mother?' Alexis stopped at a rack of cute little shoes meant for someone Jojo's size and smaller. She wasn't at all surprised when Sloan gave her a beady look.

'Are you knocked up again, Alexis? Should we be shopping for each other?'

'No. No!' She shook her head fiercely. 'Just thinking about it, about what it will be like when we have that conversation with my mom and dad.'

'Ah, well, that's natural enough. Your mom just had another baby, and you've got me knocked up while you're planning a wedding, not to mention you've been through a miscarriage yourself.' Sloan gave a little c'est-la-vie shrug before zeroing in on a rack of lovely little summer dresses. 'So sweet. You think this means I'm having a girl, that I want all these adorable little dresses?'

'Either that or a very fey little boy.'

'You're horrible.'

'Blame it on genetics,' Alexis laughed, then answered her phone as it chirped at her with Shane's number on the caller-ID. 'Hey sweetie, I thought you 'd be asleep in you're working nights all this week.'

'I will be later. Listen, are you going to be long at the shop with Sloan? I need you home to talk about wedding stuff soon.'

'We shouldn't be too much longer, maybe an hour or two.'

'Just be here by four, okay?'

Alexis glanced at her watch; it was one-thirty now, but this was very unusual of Shane to make demands like this. Normally it was more like 'have fun, call when you're on your way home'. 'Okay, I'll be there. Love you.'

'Love you too.'

'What's all that about?' Sloan inquired, moving to the wall of onsies in all the hues of the rainbow.

'I have no idea, he just wants me home by four.'

'Weird. But marrying them or having their babies makes them see things differently so maybe he's just have a groom-moment.'

'A groom moment,' Alexis repeated.

'Sure. You have bride moments, why can't he have groom moments?'

* * *

><p>Shane looked around the apartment, hoping everything looked as good as he thought it did. He had a big wedding surprise for Alexis and he wanted everything around their home to be just-so when he told her about it.<p>

Returning to the stove, he brought over the pot of split-pea soup, set it beside the platter of smoked ham and cheesy bread that was the trademark serving style of his father's most beloved recipe. He'd no sooner set down the hot-hands used to transport the dish when he heard the locks turning on the front door and Alexis walked in, looking as interested as she did baffled.

'Okay, I'm here, what's the big rush?'

'Here, let me help you with that,' he offered, tugging her coat from her shoulders as a gesture of affection. 'Hope you're hungry, I've got my father's split pea on the table.'

'I've always room for that.' Alexis smiled at him patiently, like she did with her counseling patients who were convinced free apps from iTunes were the government's way of keeping tabs on ordinary citizens. 'You want a hand with anything?'

'No, no, I'm just making my girl a nice meal.'

She waited, smiling placidly, as he served chilled white wine in glasses to their places and filled their bowls from the soup tureen on the table. 'Okay, spill it. What's the big-fucking-deal you want to talk about?'

'I've found a great spot where we can get married.'

'No boats,' she replied automatically. 'Is there a boat?'

'There is no boat, but there is something equally awesome. What if we got married on the starlight roof of the DeHeere Towers?'

'That's the same place Meredeth and Javi had their reception, isn't it?'

'No, that was the starlight terrace. This is the roof, this is the actual penthouse rooftop of the city's tallest hotel. We'd have a gorgeous view and then we can have dancing and everything outside with the glass-ceiling terrace as a back-up in case it rains.'

Alexis thought about it. A hot summer day high above the city with nary a cloud in the sky and a light breeze teasing the edges of her gown as she promised to love and honour and cherish Shane in front of her family and closest friends. The image of it had the corners of her mouth turning up. 'I think that sounds lovely.'

'And the best part, Esposito gave me the name of the guy who did all of the babies' cribs. He can do a beautiful chuppah for us, and we can get the coverings for it to match our colours.'

'That sounds really cool.'

'Is that a yes?' Shane looked at her eagerly as he dipped a piece of bread in his soup.

'That's a hell-yes. I've always liked the idea of an outdoors wedding in the summer and that sounds like it will be beautiful. We're already planning the reception at DeHeere Towers anyways.' Alexis gave a jaunty shrug. 'Now the whole thing is there. But we still have a little bit of a situation to find someone to do the ceremony.'

'Well, I had a look at that website yesterday morning once the screaming in my head stopped. I think it's a great idea.'

'Me too. But the question is, who would we ask.'

'I was thinking Daniel Brick.'

'Daniel?'

Shane nodded, chasing the last dregs of his soup around with his cheesy-bread. 'He's a good guy with no particular religious affiliation. I'd feel kinda funny if we asked the Catholic boys and your dad wants to give you away so none of them can be asked. Daniel is good at public speaking and he won't try to hit on you because he has his own redhead.'

'What the hell does that have to do with anything?' Alexis was seriously affronted at the idea a religious leader leering at a bride on her wedding day.

'Just trust me, Lex. I've been to weddings where the priest or the rabbi was so wasted on ceremonial wine that they had to stop the marriage and sober him up before they could continue.'

'That's just wrong. Weird, and grossly distasteful and wrong. Are you finished?'

Now it was Shane's turn to look at his fiancee with a considering eye. 'Lex, are _you_ okay?'

'Yeah, fine.'

'Alexis.'

'Ugh, you are way too good at that,' she grumbled as she poked around the slices of ham in her bowl.

'Something happen with Sloan?'

'No, not exactly, just...I asked her how she told her mother she was pregnant and she started to ask me about us having babies, and it got me...it got me missing the one we lost a little bit.'

'Oh, baby.' Shane shoved his chair back and rose to give her a hug. He knew that it hadn't been easy for Alexis to see her best friend get pregnant without even trying and have it stick, but Alexis being the kind person she was gave Sloan unconditional love and support. 'Lex, it will happen when it's meant to for us. And until then, you know what we we'll do?'

'Practice?'

'Yep. Lots and lots of practice. In fact, I think you need some practice now.'

Squatting like a weightlifter, Shane wrapped his arms around her legs and carried her over to the couch, tumbling her back.

'Shane, come on, we just finished eating!' she protested.

'Sex doesn't always have to be pretty or perfect, it just needs to do the job.' He tugged open the buttons of her top, revealing her curvy breasts in the cute pink bra and her belly slightly expanded from digesting her dinner. 'Besides, think of this as a preview for when we do get pregnant, and you're feeling all puffy and big and just want to bang me senseless.'

'That's true, and...oh, hmmm...' Alexis trailed off on a humming little sigh as Shane stretched himself on top of her and began to lay his lips against her throat. 'I forgot what I was saying.'

'Then you're going to forget a lot more in a few minutes.'

Half an hour later, they were tangled together on the floor, clothes still half on their bodies and hearts thundering away from good sweaty, just-because sex. Shane lay staring at the ceiling with Alexis curled against his chest.

'That's the first time we've done that in awhile,' she murmured.

'Skipped a condom?'

'Uh-huh. And I'm okay with it,' she reassured him, turning to look him in the eye, 'but I don't want to make a habit of it.'

'Noted. You want dessert?'


	7. The Timing Headache

'Lavinia Thornton, age sixty-six, patient number three-seven-three-oh-eight-eight-two-dash-eight-eff.'

Shane read off the pertinent information from his file into his Audiovox and picked up his scalpel to make his Y-cut on the old lady who had been found at the bottom of her townhouse's basement stairs with injuries inconsistent with a fall. He'd chosen Danny Elfman's theme from _Corpse Bride_; he'd always loved Victor's melancholy piano solo.

He'd made it through the majority of his exam and was in the process of removing the organs for testing when Esposito and Ryan walked in, Ryan trying not to laugh and Esposito glaring at him.

'It's not funny, bro.'

'Oh, come on, it's a little funny.'

'Pause recording. What's the trouble, gentlemen?' Shane asked them casually as he deposited the dead organ into a metal bowl for examination.

'Leo tried to change Max's diaper this morning.'

'Oh no.'

'And in the process got his little nappie's contents all over the nursery.'

'That's not the best part,' Ryan snickered, earning a lethal glare from his partner. 'Can I say it?'

'Well-'

'Leo came into his bedroom right afterward, picked up Javi's ringing cellphone and handed to him!'

'Thank you, Detective Ryan,' Esposito all but snarled, then gave Shane's current customer the once-over. 'Who's this unfortunate soul?'

'Lavinia Thornton, and she was allegedly the victim of a fall down the stairs but the right bones aren't broken. I'm thinking I will be informing Ka-pow and Geoffs they have a homicide on their hands before long.'

'I think you mean K-Pow.'

'No, no, when I saw her blow up at a rookie for improper scene security, she became Ka-pow to me.' Shane tugged on fresh gloves, then sighed as he heard his phone ring. Turning around and flexing his hips backwards, he looked at Ryan. 'Right pocket, press the yellow middle button for speaker phone.'

Ryan followed the instructions; a few seconds later Shane was answering the caller. 'Shane Weaver.'

'Shane? Where are you, you're echoing.'

'Hey sweetie,' Shane said to Alexis as he began to uncoil intestines into another metal bowl. 'I'm in the autopsy theatre with the Ry-Sposito monster and you're on speaker phone.'

'Good to know, I'll keep the dirty-talk to a minimum then.'

'That's okay, Alexis,' Esposito told her, finally cracking his first smile of the day, 'We need fodder for your man's bachelor weekend.'

'How's the Poop-berry, Detective?'

'I'm not even going to ask how you know about that,' he continued with a frosty glare at the snickering Ryan, 'so to what do we owe the pleasure of your call?'

'I wanted to let Shane know to meet me at home, not the clinic after shift since home's closer to Andrea and Daniel's apartment.'

'You catch that, Doctor?' Ryan asked him and Shane just laughed as he put Lavinia Thornton's lungs into another steel bowl.

'Yeah, Lex, I got it.'

'And by the way, we're having soul food for dinner. With peach pie for dessert.'

'With whipped cream?'

'Only if you eat your vegetables. Love you.'

'Love you too, Lex.' Shane nodded at Ryan and he ended the call for him, then pounced.

'Peach pie with whipped cream, huh?' the man teased his friend. 'Wonder what those yummy-noises sound like.'

'Kevin, I swear to God,' Esposito started, then simply held up a hand and sighed. 'No, I'm just going to resign myself that today is going to be full of disgusting things.'

'What is so bad about enjoying pie?'

'Come on, you pinhead, we all know they mean they're going to have very naughty dirty sex, and I am not emotionally equipped today to handle the notion of Alexis Castle having an orgasm.'

'You are going to be very uncomfortable at the bachelor party, then,' Ryan commented, and got a withering stare for his troubles.

'There is a time and place for everything. Bachelor party with liquor and strippers, yes. Place of business, not so much.' He turned back to Shane who was still removing body parts from his current guest. 'What do you have for us on the Pinelli homicide?'

'File's on my bench.'

'Thanks.'

Shane picked up his skull saw, gave it a little testing buzz. 'I'd invite you to stay and chat but I don't think you want to watch me cut into this poor woman's cranium while we chat about my sex life with my fiancee.'

'Not really,' Ryan agreed.

'Oh, and enjoy your peach pie later.'

Shane laughed as they walked out of the autopsy theatre and gave Lavinia Thornton a considering look. 'I do apologize for them, Missus Thornton, but they are two of my best friends and members of my wedding party,' he told her as he flipped the saw to max-power and pressed the whirring blade against the temple that had already had the scalp removed. 'Judging from the size of the diamond ring you had on your hand, I'm guessing you had a long and happy life with your husband so I will say I hope you understand they tease because they love.'

Shane completed the head examination of the post-mortem and when he'd taken the tissue samples and biopsies he needed, he stitched her up and returned her to the cold drawer in the wall. Then he stripped off his gloves and headed for the locker room so he could meet his own little peach pie.

When he arrived home, he saw Alexis sitting at the kitchen table with her books wearing her pyjamas and mutter to herself.

'I know you usually prefer comfort over fashion, but I think that's a little much even for close friends like Andrea and Daniel.'

She looked up, gave him a tired smile. 'Daniel got called in to work so we're postponing until his day off on Thursday.'

'That'll work even better, I'm in court on Thursday so I will be able to make it for sure. What's that?'

'Preparation for Thursday myself. I have a meeting with my mentor at the clinic to go over what is going to be expected of this portion of the pilot project. There are a lot more kids interested in it than we thought, so it looks like it is going to be expanded quite significantly.'

'That's good, right?'

'It is,' Alexis agreed with a nod, 'but it also means I have to make some decisions too. Do I want to put off residency for a year in order to be part of this?'

'Alexis, my sweet.' Shane pulled up the chair beside her. 'I know you and I know that tone. You've already made up your mind on this, because I know you want to be a counselor who works with the police department. So here's my question. You're doing this placement course, right?'

'Right.'

'Doesn't this count as residency? I mean, if anything, this counts beyond that since you are doing a lot more than most third-year medical students would.'

'That's what part of my meeting is about on Thursday, Doctor Stone is going to be going over what I need to complete my degree.'

Shane nodded. 'I wish there was something I could do to help you. Psychiatry is its own special breed of doctor, kinda like how specialists in education are their own branches. And psychiatrists always have to put up with negative stereotypes just like a lot of teachers do too.'

'Yeah, I remember the hell my French teacher put up with in high school. Mademoiselle Holly Russell. I like her, though, she was very cool.' Alexis looked at the pile of books and papers in front of her, then at Shane with his gentle eyes. 'It's time for a break.'

'You're right about that. So, what'll it be? Ice cream in bed? Bubble bath? Long walk down to Body's bakery?'

'I was thinking some Lego Wii.'

'Oh, yes, we can do that too.' Shane's mood brightened considerably at this suggestion. 'Which one? Indiana Jones? Harry Potter? Batman?'

'I was thinking...Pirates of the Caribbean.'

'Even better.'

Alexis rose, gave him a kiss. 'I'm going to get my blankets, you get the game set up.'

Shane laughed; Alexis never played a Wii game against him unless she had her lucky blanket - a blue and green fleece throw blanket that was about as beaten up as Shane's favourite Princeton hoodie - for every time she'd had it nearby when they went head-to-head in Lego-Land, she pulverized him to within an inch of his on-screen life.

He watched as she dragged out the blanket like Linus from _Peanuts_, parked herself on the couch beside him to select her avatar. 'Why do you always pick Davey Jones? Why not pick Tia Dalma or Annamaria?'

'Because Annamaria and I look nothing alike and Tia Dalma has a better body than me. Davey Jones is poetic, he says those speeches like they're something from Shakespeare.'

'Actually, you and Annamaria have the same apple-cheeks, and you've got a much better body than Tia Dalma.'

'Yeah right,' Alexis snorted, feeling her insecurities seep in with her fatigue. 'I'm pasty and-'

Her words were cut off with Shane pressing his mouth hard against hers. Game forgotten he pulled her close, wrapping the blanket around her like a cape to keep her warm. 'Alexis. Stop.'

'You're right.'

'The whole point of the game is to keep you from getting swamped by your mind. Now pick up the controller and prepare to have your ass kicked.'

She grinned, shook her head. 'You just never learn, do you?'


	8. The Thursday Inconsistencies I

By the time Thursday rolled around, Shane knew Alexis was a total nervous wreck. She'd barely eaten or slept since Monday, her first day of the next segment in her placement at the clinic and he was running out of ideas as to how to cheer her up.

Fortunately, as he'd finished two days of nights the day before and was going to be up for court this morning, he had an idea that almost always made her feel a little better.

Getting up to turn off his alarm clock which sat far far away from his bedside table - so he would actually get up and turn the damn thing off - he took a moment and crawled back into bed beside his bride-to-be and kissed her shoulder.

'Morning, my sweet,' he murmured, lips against her skin as her lashes fluttered and she turned towards the sound of his voice. 'Rise and shine.'

'I don't know about shine,' she replied just as sleepily, 'but you've definitely risen.'

'Dirty girl.'

'Yes, but I'm your dirty girl.'

'That you are.'

Alexis slid her hands up and over his naked shoulders, pressed against the back of his neck to pull him in for a proper kiss, the kind that made her brain melt clean into a puddle of grey goo. Whatever stress she was facing, however low she felt or when she was simply overwhelmed, here there would be love, reassurance, all that she needed in the world.

Sighing in her throat, she rolled so he was underneath her and watching his face as she pulled her nightgown over her head; she'd developed the habit of sleeping in them without panties when they spent the night together to make moments like these flow with movie-magic. Naked and straddling him, pressing her fingertips into his stomach.

'Ooh, mama likes,' she purred, tracing them over his muscled-tummy that was smooth and soft-skinned. 'You're going to keep it like this until the honeymoon, right?'

'Since it gets that drooling look in your eyes, you betcha.' Shane propped himself on his elbows, stretched up to kiss her again. 'You look pretty.'

'Even with morning breath and sleep-tangled hair?'

'Particularly with sleep-tangled hair.'

Shane kissed her again, groaning this time when her hips rocked forward. She felt so good, his strawberries-and-cream goddess, as he stroked his palms up her sides, up to cup her breasts with their rosy tips that all but begged to be teased. He indulged himself and scraped his thumbs over them. The strangled cry that ripped from her throat had his blood humming, so he sat up further and pressed his face in the sweet valley between them to inhale her earthy scent, then indulged himself further when he closed his mouth over her breast.

Alexis arched her back as silver shivers of delight coursed through her. He was so good at this part, so good at knowing just what she craved. Then all thought was gone as she felt his tongue slip out and rub over her taut nipple; the heat of it sent bullet of need for him ricocheting through her system and her fingers clenched on his dark hair.

'Shane,' she murmured, 'more.'

'More?'

'Mm-hmm.'

He breathed deeply before moving over to her other breast, laving her sweetly as he felt her grow wet against him. The feel of that slickness between her thighs had him fighting the urge to lift up her hips and sink her down on top of him. But he knew they needed to be protected, so he rolled them once more and when her legs fell open, quick as lightning Shane was moving down her body to taste her honeypot, using lips and tongue to make her cry out for him until she was begging him to get the condom.

Alexis' head was spinning like a dervish as she waited impatiently for him to put on the protection, and when he came back to her, he kissed her palm before lowering it between their bodies so she could guide him inside. When he was far enough in, she lifted her hips off the bed, effectively sinking him into her body, she watched his eyes go glassy then clear as he closed them and his lips met hers, one swallowing the other's sounds of passions until they raced each other into orgasm.

'Well,' Shane mumbled; his heart was pounding, yet his head was clear as a bell. 'That's one way to get the day started.'

'Mmm, I'm going to be the ency of all my colleagues at the clinic when I say I started my day with a bang,' Alexis agreed, pecking his lips and patting his butt. 'Not off you get, time for a shower.'

'Ah, yes, the ever popular wake-up, get-up, get-off.'

'I love you Shane,' she teased him with a wink and a smile.

'Love you to Lex.'

They showered together to save time, and while Alexis finished up shaving her underarms and legs, Shane stepped out to brush his teeth. He loved these moments, they made the tougher ones apart that much more bearable. 'So, you ready for your meeting this morning?'

'Yep. You ready to rock it in court for Tappins today?'

'Yeah.'

'I don't think I've heard you mention him.'

'Her,' Shane corrected with a mouthful of toothpaste foam. He spat in the sink and patted his mouth with the hand towel. 'Sheila Tappins, she's fairly new to the system. I've never drawn her, but Lanie did twice before going on mat-leave last year and said she is really sharp.'

'That's good. Nothing can be as scary as Lisa Fuqua.'

'No.' He shook his head, smiled at her as she stepped out of the shower and reached for her robe. 'She's a wonderful lady, very personable off the bench, but when she's on, well...she could make Judge Judy look like a kindergarten teacher.'

'Yikes.'

With the morning routine finished, they dressed and took the elevator downstairs and walked to the subway together, where Shane boarded the westbound cross-town while Alexis took the northbound to her clinic. She arrived through the doors and met the receptionist with a smile.

'Morning, Pam.'

'Oh, Alexis, Doctor Benton is in your session room already.'

'Thanks Pam.' Alexis kept her smile light even as her stomach sank. She wasn't supposed to see Benton until ten-thirty; what the hell did the man want to discuss two-hours earlier?

But she walked into her session room, gave him a polite nod. Frasier Benton looked exactly how most people pictured psychiatrists - mid-fifties, paunchy, with a reedy Leeds accent and rimless bifocals.

'Doctor Benton, good morning.'

'Alexis, hello. How are the wedding preparations coming?'

'A little hairy but we'll be ready for July.' She took off her coat, sat down nervously. 'So, what was it you wanted to discuss?'

'Your last paper you submitted on transitional psychology of teenagers was very well done. Very well done, indeed. The committee has decided to publish it in the APA's monthly press as a lead article.'

'Oh, my goodness, that's wonderful!'

'Yes, well, there's more. We want you to come on board with us full-time here as part of the project once you've completed your studies at Princeton, but in a research capacity.'

At this, the giddiness over having one of her papers published evaporated. 'Research?'

'Yes, running focus groups and compiling data for the project.'

'But...I won't get to work with any counseling patients?'

'Oh, of course, here and there, but your principle role would be publishing more papers like your last one.' Benton pushed the bridge of his bifocals up his ice-pick nose. 'Don't feel you have to make a decision in the next five minutes, of course. I understand if this isn't something you are interested in-'

'I am very interested in it, but...it's just so sudden,' Alexis confessed honestly. 'I want to be a part of this project, but I also really liked working with those teenagers who were the basis of the research for that paper.'

'Like I said, you don't have to make a decision right away. Today, you'll be working with Suzanne Schrieffer to get a feel for what it is you'd be doing as a research leader for our project.'

'Wonderful.'

Alexis tried to get it up for the tremendous honour she'd been given in this offer but all she could think of while Suzanne showed her the data complication was how much she would miss those foul-mouthed sixteen year-olds, the ones who'd been put in juvie for grand theft auto and larceny and the rest of it. They were rude, cranky, sullen and she loved them with all her heart because whether they realized it or not, she managed to get them to open up. How she managed to do that when she came from such different worlds from most of them was anyone's guess but she was very good at getting them to talk.

If she wasn't in med school, she mused, she'd go into police hostage negotiations.

By the time her lunch break rolled around, the first thing she did was run into her session room and started to dial Shane's number when she remembered he was in court all day, so she switched it to a text.

_Babe how goes it it court?_

A few minutes later she received a reply - _slow and not good. It looks like we aren't going to have enough evidence to be bound over for trial_.

_That sucks sweetie. I have new but it can wait._

_Thanks. Have to run, recess is over,_ was the final reply she got and Alexis knew that tonight would definitely be a good night to visit friends for dinner to blow off some steam.


	9. The Thursday Inconsistencies II

'Hey guys! Come on in!'

Andrea greeted Alexis and Shane at the door with a wide smile, and despite the fact her haircut was nothing new, the look of it always surprised Alexis; still the short, pixie cut set off her smoky eyes. Holding tight to her hand was little Nessa who had Andrea's face and Daniel's build.

'Hi Lessis! Hi Shane!' the toddler greeted them with a bright singsong. 'Yummy nigh'!'

'It is a yummy night, isn't it?' Shane agreed, swinging the little girl into his arms and kissing her cheek; it made little Nessa blush and wriggled like a little salmon.

'Ewwy, Shane!'

'You don't like getting kisses?'

'Moosha icky!'

'Well, that's all of them,' Alexis laughed helplessly, kissing Andrea's cheek herself as she took off her coat and boots. 'Where's the man of the house?'

'Daddy nappin',' Nessa replied, fascinated by Shane's hair and was running her fingers over it. 'You pidy, Shane.'

'And now it's my turn to be the jealous fiance.'

'Oh?' Andrea gave them an intrigued look as she poured her guests wine while they took Nessa into the living room for a play. 'Did Shane have to get all alpha-male on an overeager co-ed?'

'Finn Parrish-Robbins was trying to put the moves on her,' Shane replied as Nessa retrieved her playing blocks. 'He used the classic 'help me with my juice-box straw' move.'

'Ah, yes, that was popular when I was little too,' Andrea nodded wisely with dancing eyes, then looked down the hallway when the bedroom door opened and she saw her hubby lurch out, yawning widely. 'Hey, what are you doing up, big guy, I thought you wanted to sleep before working nights tonight.'

'We have guests, Andrea Darcy,' Daniel replied stubbornly, kissing his wife's brow, then going over to sit on the floor with Nessa. 'We can't be rude to our guests, right sweet-pea?'

'No meanie.'

'That's right, no being mean.'

'So.' Alexis set down her glass of wine, put her hand on Shane's shoulder as she looked at Andrea and Daniel. 'We wanted to talk to you about something really important.'

'You're pregnant!' Andrea replied automatically. 'Do we get to be godparents?'

'Lessis baby, Daddy?' Nessa asked, looking at her father while she played with her Legos.

'No, Alexis isn't having a baby, Nessa. You're not are you?' Daniel looked to the happy couple for verification.

'No, that won't be until at least I'm finished medical school. No, this is wedding related.'

'I'm sure you've heard through the family grapevine that my rabbi died quite unexpectedly last week,' Shane supplied, 'and the replacement at his temple refused to marry us because Alexis isn't converting.'

'Pinhead,' Daniel scoffed.

'Which puts us in a situation because the only promise I made my parents about the wedding was that it would be a Jewish ceremony in front of a rabbi.'

'We talked about having a judge or justice of the peace, but Shane has his heart set on a rabbi, which brings us to you, Daniel.'

'Me?'

Shane nodded, reached up to find Alexis' hand on his shoulder. 'We found an on-line course that would allow you to become a rabbinical minister to marry us.'

'You want me to marry you?' Daniel looked at them, then at Andrea and back again. 'Me? The good Irish Catholic boy who's about as Jewish as a quesadilla?'

'Yes.'

'But I'm not really religious,' he protested, 'and if you were going to ask someone, shouldn't it be in your family?'

'Yes, that's it, I'll get RJ on becoming a rabbi even though he still wears diapers to bed. Or better yet, my grams,' Alexis said dryly, then reached over to give her friend's hand a squeeze. 'Daniel, we want you to do it because you're a good public speaker, and we want you to be part of the ceremony.'

Daniel frowned, thinking on it. 'What exactly to I have to do with this online course?'

'It's a twelve-week course, just like an intense university intersession,' Shane explained. 'You'd be focusing on Judaism ceremonial rites, which includes weddings, brisses, bar mitzvahs, and death rites as well.'

'Do I have to learn Hebrew or Yiddish?'

'That's part of the course,' Alexis added helpfully, hoping the sales pitch wasn't falling flat. 'So you can say the blessings properly.'

'Well, ah, gee, this is not what I was expecting you to ask when you wanted to talk to me,' Daniel laughed, running his hand over his hair and looking at Nessa who stared back with questions in her blue eyes.

'Daddy? You silly?'

'No, just a little surprised, sweet-pea,' he told his daughter, scooping her into his lap. 'Andrea? What do you think?'

'I think it's your decision, Daniel, because they didn't ask me, they asked you,' she reminded him, though she could already see he'd made up his mind.

'Okay. Okay, I'll do it.'

'Oh, Daniel!' Alexis launched herself off the couch and straight at Daniel, nearly bumping Nessa in the head in the process. 'Oh, this is great! Shane!'

'Dude.' The groom looked at his friend with such gratitude that for a moment Daniel actually thought Shane was going to cry. 'You have no idea how much this means to me.'

'Just don't let me make a fool of myself up there.'

'Oh, I won't. In fact, you can have a dress rehearsal in a month or so when we have Passover. My parents are going to be visiting so that would be a perfect time for you to meet them too, get a feel for what kind of ceremony would work best with our faith.'

'I can do that. Parents love me.'

'I love Daddy!' Nessa declared proudly, giving her father's thick body a hug. 'Daddy bes'.'

'Yes, your daddy is the best,' Andrea gave her little girl a wink. 'Well, now that we have that part out of the way, you guys hungry?'

* * *

><p>After a delicious dinner of chicken and Israeli couscous, they gathered around the laptop for Alexis and Shane to show their newly-chosen rabbi-to-be how his course would work, with Nessa trying to wedge her way in to learn what was going on. Neither were surprised when the little girl's face crumpled up as she was told it was for the grown-ups and she had to put her pyjamas on.<p>

'Sweet-pea, come on, you know the drill,' Andrea reminded her daughter, causing Nessa to stamp her foot in protest.

'No, I big!'

'Hennessey Brick, that's one. Let's go, it's time to get into your pjs.'

'No! Wan' 'tay!'

'That's two.'

'Nessa, listen to your mother,' Daniel added, looking over the edge of his laptop at his daughter on the edge of a full-blown temper tantrum.

'Daddy, wanna 'tay!'

'That's three.' Andrea stepped over and scoooped Nessa up even as she began to fuss and whimper, her voice never raised once as she took the little girl into her room and quietly closed the door behind her.

'She's tired but it's no excuse for not listening,' Daniel sighed, shaking his head. 'She knows the rules. So this is all I have to do?'

'Yep, you should be getting your materials in two or three weeks.'

'Cool, step one to being an Irish Catholic rabbi. I can dig that. Does this mean I get premium seating at the ceremony for dinner?'

'Of course, Daniel,' Alexis laughed; the man always thought with his stomach, much like Esposito did.

'What are you even having for the dinner?'

'That's coming up this weekend,' Shane replied, 'and Cam and Lili are coming with so Cam can give us a veggie-saurus perspective on the menu.'

'That'll be fun.'

They all glanced up when the door to Nessa's room opened and the little girl came back in her nightie, her stuffed dolphin under her arm and a repentant look on her face. She marched straight over to her daddy and pecked his cheek.

'I sorry, Daddy, I no' sassy.'

'I know you're not sassy, sweet-pea. Next time, what do we do?'

'Lissen Mama.'

'Exactly. Apology accepted.'

Daniel gave his baby girl a hug, then watched as she went over to Shane and Alexis, gave them each little hugs and pecking-kisses on their cheeks too.

'I sorry, Shane. I sorry Lessis. I no' sassy.'

'No, you're not sassy,' Shane agreed, understanding this was her word for 'rude'. 'But I think it's time for Alexis and I to go home, because we've got another busy day tomorrow.'

'Okay. Nigh'-nigh'.'

The image of Nessa waving her little hand in good-bye stayed with Alexis all the way until they reached their own apartment, and were getting themselves settled in for the night.

'Alright, we're alone now, have you given anymore thought to your clinical work offer?' Shane asked her, going to put on the decaf coffee he liked before bedtime. 'By the way, you'll notice I didn't bring it up once during dinner even though I wanna brag about you till I turn Smurf-blue in the face.'

'Another reason I love you so much. And no, I'm not any closer. But I'm not dwelling on that tonight,' she replied, taking down their coffee mugs and the sugar dish. 'We have resolved our rabbi situation and that's the most important thing.'

'Yeah, hopefully this is the last of the universe's screw-ups we have to endure.'


	10. The Mailing Confusion

It had been a whole two weeks without any wedding disasters and while most would breathe easy, Shane was on the paranoid edge. The moment he got complacent, the next moment would be one of catastrophe; that was just the way the universe worked. Everyone knew that.

Thankfully, being called to a fresh scene early on the morning of March sixteenth had given him something to be distracted by, even if it looked like the case would be open and shut.

'Morning, boys,' he greeted the uniforms who ushered him towards the kitchen of the small, cramped apartment. In the equally small, cramped kitchen a man lay face down with multiple puncture wounds to his torso, leaving no room for misinterpretation of how he died. 'What do we have here?'

'Micky Doyle, aged thirty-eight according to the driver's license.'

Shane looked over and felt a pinch forming in the centre of his brain. Of course, he thought sourly. 'Officer Cruz, we meet again.'

Maggie Cruz struggled not to blush in embarrassment. The last time they'd worked a scene together, she'd tried to ask him out and it was a disaster when she learned that he was planning a wedding and therefore off-limits. 'Hello Doctor Weaver.'

'Tell me more about the victim,' he prompted her as he snapped on gloves and began to do an initial on-scene report.

'Right. Neighbours called in reports of a knock-down drag-out about seven-thirty this morning, and when the first-responders got here, they found Micky like this and his victim sitting with her sister in the living room.'

'His victim?'

Cruz nodded, jerked her head towards the partitioned area. 'Detective Ryan is with her now. Bastard had beaten her black and blue and she grabbed the knife to defend herself.'

'That does not look like defense to me,' Shane commented as he began to count stab wounds.

'Well...ummm...'

'Just my opinion, Cruz. Science may tell us otherwise. Is Homicide here?'

'No, I'll go find out.'

Shane shook his head as the officer scuttled off. The woman wasn't the same since Brennan got the boot from the force, he noted, or maybe she was just having an off-day, as he remembered her as a starchy fire-breathing dragon. Focusing his attention back where he needed it to go, he filled out his forms while his assistants photographed the body. The man did indeed die by stabbing, and hadn't been moved as was evident from the amount of pooled blood. A knife with a smooth blade, probably the carving knife missing from the butcher's block, had made the wounds but because of the frequency, there was no way to determine until the full exam which was the killing blow.

'Okay, guys let's roll him over,' Shane told his assistants when CSU had completed their thing around the remains of Micky Doyle. They did and he could only sigh. The autopsy was going to be pretty short, he realized as he saw the knife wounds to the chest; the bloom of red over the heart was a - haha - dead giveaway to the fatal wound.

'That's a nasty way to go,' Ryan commented, walking up and seeing the victim.

'Where have you been?' Shane asked.

'Talking with the perp, but it's not going down as homicide. Well, technically it will,' he amended, 'but if the story checks out, Tanner Doyle won't do any jail time.'

'Let me guess, woman goes off-grid after her husband hits her once too much and hubby shows up skunked and spoiling for a fight?'

'In a nutshell. She directed CSU where to find the paper work for her TRO and divorce proceedings against him.' Ryan sighed. 'I don't get it, how the hell did he find her?'

'How do you mean?'

'Her sister, Maria, did the most of the talking and said Tanner had off-grid. She used an old-model cellphone with no GPS to track, her job paid her in cash she manually deposited, she changed all of her computer passwords and accounts.

'So she pretty much turned herself into a ghost. How do you catch her medium?'

'We'll worry about that, you take care of the DB, bro.' Ryan patted the man's shoulder, then grinned when Shane's cellphone rang and he caught a glimpse of the caller-ID. 'That the little woman?'

'Call her that to her face, Kevin, I dare you,' Shane chuckled as he took the call. 'Hi, Lex, what's up sweetie?'

'Sick. All stuffy nosed and miserable.'

'Not surprising, you've been pushing yourself hard the last few weeks.'

'I know, I know.' There was a noise that sounded like a foghorn blast, followed with Alexis coughing. 'Think you can pick up dinner tonight?'

'Of course, honey. Anything in particular?'

'Chicken salad sandwiches and tomato soup.'

'I'll take care of it.'

'Thanks. Okay, I gotta to rest, I feel like crap. Love you.'

Shane laughed, said it back to her and hung up, all the while knowing Ryan was looking at him with a smug grin. 'Don't even say it.'

'Not a word from me, bro.'

* * *

><p>Alexis knew she was dreaming, but she had no desire to wake up, not even when the fat pomegranate in her hand began to ring like a telephone and the little peaches on the trees around her were saying 'get up, get up!' Peeling open a wary eye, she saw it wasn't her cell ringing but the houseline.<p>

'Nuhh, no,' she complained, her pulsating, congested head thumping in time with the telephone's ringing. When the caller didn't give up, merely waited out the call-answer and tried again, she reached over to give the intruder hell. 'Yes?'

'Alexis, that you?'

'Andrea? What's wrong?' Alexis looked at her watch on the bedside table - five-twenty-three. Shane would be home soon, she thought dreamily. 'Are you at work or home?'

'Home. Day off. The, ah, materials kit arrived for Daniel's rabbinical home-study course arrived.'

'Is there a problem?'

Andrea's laugh was dry and slightly embarrassed. 'You might say that.'

'Oh, boy. Well...hold on, I think Shane just got home.'

Wrapping her blanket around her upper body like a cape, Alexis toddled into the kitchen and saw indeed her man was home with grocery supplies for making dinner. She put the phone on speaker mode. 'Andrea, I'm in the kitchen with Shane, now tell us both what happened.'

'What's wrong,' Shane inquired, but Andrea was already opening the floodgates.

'I think either we were taken in and screwed by that website or there was a warehouse mix up, because I just took receipt of a huge box of pornography.'

The laugh escaped before she could stop it. 'I'm...I'm sorry, did you say you were delivered a big box of porn?'

'Yes, let's see, there is, ah _Wet and Wild Co-Eds_, an entire box set of _Amores y Ambiciosas_ whatever the hell that is, and the one that really caught my eye was _The Deep_, which I don't even want to know how they parodied my favourite film ever. The box was addressed to Daniel, and I mean, I like a dirty movie every now and then as foreplay but this is a little excessive.'

'Are you sure it's the right address and everything?' Shane inquired, body shaking from held-in laughter.

'Yep, Daniel J. Brick one-thirty-two East Twenty-Second Street, apartment four-eighteen. That's our address and the company label on the box is the same as the one from the website you guys looked at.'

'Well, shit.' Shane looked at Alexis, who shrugged, then sneezed. 'What are you going to do now?'

'Wait until Daniel comes home and let him know what happened, then we'll be in touch later tonight.'

'Thanks Andrea,' Alexis honked, reached for a paper towel for her drippy nose. 'Call later, we're in for the night.'

Shane hung up the phone, then looked at Alexis. 'I'd kiss you but I want to be healthy.'

'Love you too,' she replied with a hint of sarcasm. 'I'm hungry.'

'Okay. Go get a hot shower and I'll make dinner.'

Shane nudged her towards the bathroom, then picked up the houseline phone once more, dialed his father's number in Amsterdam. The call picked up after four rings.

'Allo?'

'Hi Papa.'

'Scheine!' Chaim's voice was chipper, despite the fact it was quarter to eleven at night. 'Why are you calling me so late in the night? Is there something wrong with your mother or your bride?'

'No, not exactly, Papa.' Shane dragged a hand over his face, switched from Dutch to Hebrew. 'How important is it that Alexis and I be married by a rabbi?'

'I don't think that should really be any question, Scheine. You know the only thing we've ever asked as that you have a proper Jewish ceremony for getting married.'

'But if it's not in front of a rabbi?'

'What is going on, Scheine, are you having troubles with Gershowitz' replacement?'

Shane explained the meeting with Frankel to his father, and wasn't surprised for the resigned sigh from Chaim. 'Papa, you know that even if we had a judge or friend who was ordained, it would still be a traditional ceremony.'

'A rabbi does the marrying, Scheine, you know that.'

'Right, but I don't want Alexis to convert. It's not what I want for our marriage, and she has too much on her plate to do the courses Frankel insists upon, which would also mean waiting another year to be married.'

'Then shop around,' Chaim replied calmly. 'You will make it work.'


	11. The Tasting Menu Oasis

By Saint Patrick's Day, Alexis had finished a week of hellacious midterms and was looking forward to a fun night with her fiance. Her bags were packed to head home to his strong, sensual arms, his wonderful smile, his impressive...other parts, she thought with a little laugh as she watched for her train at the Am-Trak station. God, she wanted to get her man in bed, or the couch, or anywhere else they could find to bang each other's brains out.

The trip into the city passed quickly; she watched an episode of BBC's _Sherlock_ on her iPad so that by the time the credits rolled she was pulling into Penn Station by Madison Square Garden, and after fighting her way through the crowd with her suitcase, she saw Dave and Lanie waiting to meet her, along with their children.

'Hey! What are you guys doing here?'

'Shane got held up at home and asked us to meet you here in his place,' Lanie explained, rocking Finn's pram back and forth to make sure he stayed sleeping in the busy terminal.

'Who all is coming?' Dave inquired as he kept an eye on Carey and Violet as they walked hand-in-hand in front of him, Carey making sure his little sister didn't run off.

'Just the Espositos and you guys. We are keeping it small for this one, not like the one a few weeks ago where it was pretty much an excuse to have a family party.'

'Alessis.' Violet came back with Carey, took her hand as she smiled. 'We gonna have yummies tonigh'?'

'You know it.'

'Wha' kin'? 'Tal-ee-an like us?'

'No, we're not having Italian food, sweetheart,' Alexis laughed. 'It's a surprise.'

'Whee! I love suh-pises!'

'Considering you were a surprise for Mama and Daddy, I expect nothing less,' Lanie murmured, making Alexis giggle.

* * *

><p>When they arrived at Alexis and Shane's apartment, Alexis was almost ready to cry at what greeted them: the space was clean, not just things tidied up but spotless and sparkling, top to bottom clean. There were fresh flowers on the table and Shane had put on Alexis' Peggy Lee album so her hauntingly melodious voice invited them in. The man himself was just coming out of the bedroom, adjusting his shirtsleeve cuffs when he looked up and saw his fiancee was home and had brought friends.<p>

'Hello, Almost-Doctor Weaver,' he all but purred at her with a smile.

'Hello Already-Doctor Weaver,' she replied, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him; the sight of it had the three little kids freaking out.

'Eeeewwww.' Carey stuck out his tongue and wrinkled up his face. 'That is so gross, why does everyone do that?'

'It how to say 'love you',' Violet sighed, her little romantic heart fluttering in her tiny chest.

'Love!' Finn declared it loudly as Dave helped him out of his winter coat and boots. 'Love 'Let! Love Ca-wee! Love Mama! Love Daddy!'

'I know, you love us all,' Dave chuckled, then straightened up after Finn was taken care of and the kids were heading into the living room. 'I could definitely use a drink.'

'Me too. A big one,' Alexis yawned. 'Sorry.'

'How's the wedding planning going?' Lanie asked, uncorking a bottle of wine. She poured a couple of glasses and raised an eyebrow when she saw Alexis gulp half of it down in a single shot. 'A little stressed out?'

'Not stressed, just...trying not to let the setbacks get to me,' she confessed.

'What kind of setbacks?'

'Well, since Jojo was born, the rabbi died, my mother tried to pick up my fiance at our engagement party, we lost our spot at Shane's temple for the ceremony and when we tried to sign up Daniel Brick for the online interfaith minister program instead of getting rabbinical study guides in the mail he got a big box of porn.' Alexis paused for another drink. 'And that freaked him out so badly that he changed his mind about doing the entire thing.'

Lanie and Dave looked at Shane, who nodded sadly. 'Are you guys okay?' Dave asked hesitantly.

'Yeah, I mean I understand Daniel's reasons, he doesn't want to get fu...screwed again,' Shane amended, remembering there were small children nearby, 'and he even sent apology flowers to Alexis in Princeton he felt so awful. And it's cool, but now we are really in a bind for an officiant.'

'Well, tonight, let's focus on the positive,' Lanie suggested with a warm smile as she topped off her glass and Alexis' with the wine. 'We've got an amazing dinner ahead of us and from the sounds of that intercom buzzing, there are more friends here.'

Alexis grinned, stepped over to push the button. 'Hello?'

'Hi Alexis! It's the Esuh-positos!'

'Come on up, you guys. Man, Tessi is getting so big!'

'She'll be five in less than a month,' Lanie sighed. 'Which means Carey will be six. I feel old.'

'Now, now, Elenia,' Dave teased his wife with a finger wag. 'I thought we were done being sad for the night. What about that amazing dinner tonight?'

'Yes, wedding stuff.' Lanie put aside her maternal wistfullness and looked at Shane and Alexis, the former getting plates and cutlery ready for dinner while the latter took at seat at the kitchen table. 'What is on the menu tonight?'

'A mishigas of stuff, no real theme or specific cuisine. Rosemary bread to start, then a tomato-veggie-rotini soup, followed with a rotisserie chicken breast, mashed potatoes and stewed pears. And dessert will be oliebollen, courtesy of Body.'

'Is he doing the cake?' Dave asked but before he got an answer, there was a knock on the door, letting them know the Esposito clan had arrived.

Shane greeted them, holding out his hands automatically for baby Max. 'Let me have a look at that one,' he crooned, smiling when Meredeth handed over the five week old baby.

'He's been fed and burped and changed, it's why we're a little late,' she apologized with a little head tilt, then looked at Tessi and the twins. 'Okay guys, in we go, boots and coats off.'

'Hi Shane, we are here to help you decide on a wedding dinner!' Tessi reassured him. 'We are good tasters, we help Mami lots in the kitchen.'

'Vi'let here?' Leo inquired shyly; his tummy always got a little funny-feeling, but in a good way, whenever he was around her. 'She vis'in' too?'

'Ah-course she vis'in'.' See? Lanie an' Dave here too,' Trini pointed out to her brother, and marched straight over to them. 'We gonna help Alessis an' Shane.'

'Good to know, because you never fail to tell us just what's on your mind, sweetie,' Dave replied, absolutely charmed by her young bravado.

'O-kay. Hi-hi, Alessis, how doin'?' Trini rounded the table and climbed into Alexis' lap, gave her a friendly smile. 'I happy today.'

'Well, that's good,' Alexis laughed. 'I am hungry, and I'm guessing the caterer should be here soon?'

'It's barely five, Lex, they'll be here,' Shane reminded her nicely.

'I know, but the way our wedding planning's been going since New Year's Eve, it's understandable, right?'

'Yeah, Shane, it un-ah-san-ible,' Trini chirped, and held out bunched fingertips to Alexis. 'We 'tick a-gedder, girl.'

'Trini, my dove,' Esposito chuckled as he twisted the top off the beer Shane had passed him, 'do you even know what Alexis is talking about?'

'No, bu'...bu' we girls an' we 'tick a-gedder.'

'That is so true,' Tessi nodded with solemn blue eyes as she sipped on the big-girl can of Fresca her mother was letting her have. 'We have two girls and two boys in our house, and me and Tah-rini suh-tick together.'

There was another buzz at the intercom, letting them know the caterers had arrived and that at least this one branch of the wedding planning would go right. At least, Alexis prayed it would as she gulped down more wine.

Shane kept a watchful eye on his fiancee through dinner, noting that while she was bright and friendly her wheels were still working in overtime and she kept on reaching for the wine glass. Tonight it seemed it was her turn to get a little sauced, and he didn't blame her at all - between the wedding planning going pear shaped at almost every turn, the comedown off of her exams and the decision she still needed to make on her counseling project, if anyone needed a night off from their brain it was her.

Thus when their guests left for the night he helped the sleepily drunk Alexis to her feet, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her balance as he lead her into their bedroom.

'Come on, my little strawberry,' he murmured to her as she tried to walk straight and failed miserably, nearly bumping them into the wall more than once. 'Just a few more steps.'

'There is so much to do,' she mumbled.

'And it will work out, isn't that what you're always telling me?'

'Yes.' Alexis slumped on the bed, pulled at her shirt. 'I wanna get naked with you, fuck your brains out.'

'As much fun as that would be, you are going to drink this.' Shane pressed a bottle of Gatorade into her hand. 'You will thank me for it in the morning.'

'Okay. Then the sex.'

'In the morning, Alexis. We'll have sex in the morning,' he told her, as if they were discussing waffles or pancakes, but it was no use pointing this out to her, as she'd flopped sideways and was already down for the count.


	12. The Fiance Isolation

Shane fought the yawn as he looked down his scope at the liver sample of his latest customer and made notes in his own personal shorthand. He was ready for the night to be done, as he was tapped on field time for the month, owing to the fact he had pulled no less than eight doubles, and the fact that Perlmutter wanted the newbie Bialystok to clock more field time to improve his confidence. He had potential, no question, but the guy needed to be able to do examinations beyond the tiled walls of the morgue at Stuysvesant Memorial.

God, he needed a nap, he thought. Maybe he could close his eyes at his desk while he was on his lunch break - despite the fact he was on nights and his 'lunch' was at thirty-thirty in the morning, he still called it lunch - and then he wouldn't feel like he was going to hop up on one of the autopsy tables with one of the sterile white sheets.

He looked down at his notes and knew it was time for a break - he'd written _subject has no signs of cirrhosis, hepatitis or fluffy pillows_ on his scratch-pad notes he'd transfer to an official report. Perlmutter would not appreciate that, so Shane shoved back from the bench of scopes and test vials to head back to his post-mortem theatre; he wondered if maybe he shouldn't take his coffee break and his lunch back to back, slip over to Lanie's theatre to steal her teakettle and make himself a cup or three. When he saw that it was currently in use by Perlmutter, Shane sighed and continued on to his own workspace.

'Hey son.'

Shane pulled up short when he saw Castle of all people sitting at his computer station. 'What the fuck are you doing here?' he blurted out; it was the only logical thing that could get through his addled brain.

'Kate's up with Jojo, the little thing's got a bit of a colicky tummy and Kate's about ready to lose her mind so I said I'd head out, get her some ice cream and maybe a little tea from Loose Leaf or something.'

'Yeah, because we run one of those here,' Shane said dryly.

'I was almost home,' Castle continued, 'when Kate texted me and said you sent her a text asking something about goose down duvets.'

'Oh God.' Shane laughed at himself, pinched the bridge of his nose between his index fingers. 'I need sleep. I thought I'd dreamed that, I did realize I'd actually done it.'

'Well, here. Brought you something from the all-night comfort truck. Not Israeli coucous or split pea soup, but it's a good stopover.' Castle put a Styrofoam carton on the desk, added a paper take-away cup.

Shane lifted the lid and nearly wept - his future father-in-law had brought him fried chicken and mashed potatoes smothered in country gravy with a biscuit and spinach salad on the side. 'Oh, God, this smells so good. I just wanna crawl inside this box, make me a little beddie-byes out of the potatoes and sleep eat all that chicken and spinach.'

'Yeah, you're looking a little roughed-up, bro.'

'I need sleep. I've been working since ten this morning.'

'Ouch. Wedding stuff or morgue stuff?'

'Both. Alexis and I were tasting cake this morning with Body and we have ours picked. She headed back to Princeton tonight on the train and I'm stuck here wishing I was home in bed to sleep, and...Skype with her.'

'Can't you just use the phone?'

'Rick, Skype has video, let's leave it at that.'

'Ah, I understand.' Castle wished he didn't but he did; better to handle was the fact that however much Shane teased his bride-to-be, he loved soul food just as much as Alexis. 'So why are you here?'

'I was on call this morning and got tied up on overtime from that, and now I'm working my normal shift.'

'Why don't you call it a night, go home sick?'

Shane tried to swallowed but his throat was all hot and lumpy. 'I need the money, for the wedding that is slowly but surely turning into a disaster.'

'Shane, everyone hits bumps when wedding planning.'

'Yeah, well...' He trailed off on a fit of violent coughing, little lights bursting in front of his eyes. Shane went to stand up, and would have hit the floor had it not been for Castle grabbing his arm to help him slump down so he didn't whack his head on the metal table. 'Fuck. I think I should go home.'

'By way of the hospital. You need to see a doctor.'

'I am a doctor.'

'And I'm not letting you become your own patient,' Castle insisted, helping the man to his feet just as Perlmutter in all his crusty boorishness slouched in. 'Sydney, you are going to need to get someone to fill in for Shane.'

'He's scheduled until six,' Perlmutter groused.

'And he just about blacked out from coughing,' he countered. 'Do you want his phlegm hanging out in here?'

'Fine, go, I'll get someone to come in and cover.' Perlmutter waved them off and with Castle's arm firmly on his arm, Shane let himself be steered towards the elevator so they could retrieve Shane's things from the locker room.

'Thanks, Daddy,' Shane mumbled miserably, making the writer laugh.

'Man, you must be taking lessons from RJ.'

* * *

><p>Alexis finished drying her hair, looked around to make sure she had everything ready for her study group and frowned at her cellphone. Shane hadn't called her and he'd promised he would; he always called her even it was a thirty-second 'hey babe I'm home going to be, love you mwah-mwah' kind of call.<p>

Hoping it didn't make her look to needy, as she was feeling that way almost every day being in school while trying to plan the wedding, Alexis hit the speed dial for home and waited while it rang, trying to be patient until he answered.

'Lexy my love, I can't talk.'

'Shane, I know you're tired, but-'

'No, I mean I can't talk,' he rasped, and Alexis realized that his voice was at least an octave lower and sounded like he had gravel in his voicebox. 'I have strep throat, I'm on antibiotics so I'm not supposed to talk.'

'Okay, you stay in bed then, and get better. When does the doctor think you'll be up and around?'

'I'm stuck at home and can't have visitors until Monday.'

'But...I'm coming home this weekend,' Alexis protested, her stomach sinking in disappointment as she realized what this meant. She locked the door of her apartment, . 'We have to go to the florist, we're finalizing the wedding party flowers and selecting our centrepieces.'

'Not this weekend, unless you want to be a human cane for me and risk strep throat which you can't afford while you are coming into the home stretch of your semester.'

'Oh, baby, I wanted to see you this weekend.'

'I know, me too, but-' Shane cut himself off with a violent fit of coughing, so brutal that Alexis had to hold her phone away from her ear.

'Shane, hang up the phone and text me when you feel better, okay? I love you, now go get some rest.'

'Love you too. Bye.'

Alexis ended the call, tapping her phone against her chin in thought. She wanted to see her fiance and she'd made the plan to go home anyways and study, why couldn't she go to the loft instead? Pressing another button for speed dial to the loft's houseline, she wasn't surprised when RJ picked up.

'Castle home, this Ah-Shay.'

'Hi, RJ, it's Alexis.'

'Alessis! Hi-hi, my Alessis, you 'wake soo' today!'

'So are you.'

'I helpin' Mumum wit' Sho-sho, she gettin' big!'

Alexis laughed, even as she pined for her little sister. 'That's good, it means she's eating right. Listen, can I talk to Mom for a minute?'

'Ah-course Alessis! Mumum! Alessis on-a phone!'

There was a shuffling noise, and then Beckett's jovial but slightly tired voice came on the line. 'Alexis? What's up, girl?'

'Not much, just got off the phone with Shane, he's got strep throat.'

'I know, Rick told me when he came home last night. Long story,' she added before Alexis could inquire, 'but hopefully he won't be sick for this weekend.'

'This weekend?'

'Yeah, RJ and Jojo are spending the weekend with my dad and Miss Agnes so Rick and I can have a Valentine's part two at the house in the Hamptons.'

'Oh, that's nice.' The hope of getting to spend the weekend with her family flew out the window as she stepped onto the elevator and tried not to let her disappointment show through. It was a feat, as Beckett was still talking.

'I bet you're looking forward to this weekend, doing more wedding stuff with Shane,' she continued. 'You have everything picked out at the florist's?'

'Yeah, we have to reschedule that. Shane's got strep throat and is on doctor's orders for bedrest until Monday, and I really don't want to do wedding things like this without him.'

'Understandable, but...oh, dammit, RJ! RJ, leave Jojo alone! She's sleeping! Sorry, Lex, I gotta run, I'll talk to you on Sunday when I'm back, just you and me and some girl time, okay?'

'Okay, love you Mom.'

'Love you too.'

Alexis hung up the call once more, feeling even more dejected. The elevator doors binged open; once she stepped inside to head for her lobby, she let herself weep just a little bit.


	13. The Florist Separation

Two days after Castle had ushered him into the ER for his throat infection, Shane was rambling around the apartment in his pyjamas and feeling absolutely miserable. He wanted Alexis home, cuddling with him while he got back to fighting form. Even worse that he couldn't check off something from the wedding preparation list with her, he'd been forced to cancel his boys' night with Esposito, Dave and Ryan - they'd been planning to take Esposito out for his first boys-only night since little Max had made his appearance, but thanks to his disgustingly inconvenient contagious infection, Shane was on the bench for the night.

'Chubbs,' he said to his fish on the counter while he waited for the kettle to boil, 'it is Saturday night. I should be out with my boys after getting to spend the day with my fiancee picking out wedding flowers with her and then following that up with some very hot afternoon delight on the living room floor. Instead I am under quarantine.'

The phone rang and Shane didn't know whether to leap for joy or scream in frustration when he saw it was Alexis' houseline from Princeton. Still, he picked up if only to hear the sound of her voice.

'Hi, honey.'

'Hi honey back. You're sounding much better.'

'I feel better but I'm still on house arrest.'

'Shane,' Alexis giggled as she folded her towels, hot from the dryer, 'there is a reason the doctor put you on bed-rest until Monday. Didn't you almost pass out at work because you were coughing?'

'Yeah,' he admitted, slightly wishing he hadn't mentioned that part to her while they'd Skyped the afternoon he'd told her their plan for the florist had been canceled. 'But it's not the same without you here.'

'Aw, I miss you too, sweetie.'

'You make the best chicken noodle soup ever.'

'Shane, I rip open a packet of Lipton and dump it in boiling water,' she laughed, putting her towels away. 'Not exactly rocket science or brain surgery.'

'But you make it taste better than when I make it somehow. You sure you don't do anything to it?'

'Must be the feminine touch.'

'Must be,' Shane agreed with such wistfulness, Alexis wanted to reach through the phone and just hug him. Fortunately, she had a small solution to that.

'Listen I can't talk for too long, I'm going to the movies tonight with my roomie just to keep from going crazy missing you, but I did send you a little something to cheer you up.'

'Is it a Porsche so I can drive down and see you?'

'Yes, you'd be surprised how easy it is to send the pinnacle of Germain automotive engineering via G-mail. It's something a little more simple and...naughty,' she added in a purr.

Despite being full of antibiotics, Shane's heart thumped a little harder, the blood moving a little quicker in his veins. 'What kind of naughty?'

'You'll figure it out. Okay, I have to run, I love you very much. I'll Skype you tonight when I'm home, okay?'

'Can't wait. Love you too, my sweet.'

Shane smiled as he hung up the phone, the first of the day; curious as to what she might have sent him, he fired up the laptop, signed into his personal account.

'Email name, evilhomer1130-at-livemail-dot-com, password G-R-O-E-N-I-N-G-4-M-E,' he muttered to himself. He scrolled through the list of new messages - one from his father, one from Body and yep, there it was the one from Alexis and it had a file attachment. Intrigued even more now, he clicked the image of the envelope and read the note she'd sent him.

_To: 'Shane W'  
>From: 'Alexis H Castle'<br>Subject: Story Time_

_Hi baby_

_I know you're missing me lots, and I miss you too; I was so excited to look after our flowers today but I'm sure the universe will eventually explain it to us, or at least make it up to us. In the meantime as a little make-it-better present, I've written you a dirty bedtime story. I thought you might like to have a unique one that's just from me to you instead of the magazines we usually use. Just don't tease me if it sounds too corny or something.  
><em>

_Love you lots, Shane_

_Alexis._

_p.s. no, I didn't include any topless or other nude photos of myself, use your imagination ;)_

_Attached file: bedtimesexy-dot-doc _

Shane blinked, a smile creeping over his face. He wondered what she'd dreamed up, fantasized about the two of them doing to each other, that she'd liked it enough to write it down for him without feeling embarrassed. Okay, she felt a little embarrassed as was evident from her request he not tease her.

Still, Shane knew that she was quite creative when she was in a saucy mood and deciding that he would do better with this in a more private setting - an odd thought since he was alone, save for his beta fish - he took the laptop into the bedroom, stripped down so he was only in his sweatpants with the laptop up near his face as he stretched out. Clicking on the file icon, he waited for the document to download and grinned when it opened on his word processor.

_So I had this idea to do this for your halfway through my sexual psychology class today and it was all I could do to get through it in one piece so I could go home and write this up for you. It's the first time I've actually written one of these down so if I sound a little goofy, please just roll with it._

_We're on our honeymoon, and as part of our vacation to Bermuda, w__e are on the deck of a cruise ship, our own private deck that goes with our suite. It's nearly midnight and we're nearly to the shore line of the Barbados. We can smell the salted ocean breeze along with some exotic blossoms we don't recognize. I'm wearing a thin-strapped floral sundress from earlier in the day and my feet are bare as are yours, my hair loose around my shoulders._

'This sounds good so far,' Shane murmured. 'What next, baby?'

_You turn to me, kiss me so that I start to melt in your arms and everything in the universe just drifts away. The feel of your lips on mine sends shivers down my spine, and I feel your tongue part my lips; it makes me moan softly for you. Those beautiful hands are moving over my body, my back, searching for my zipper, and I tear my mouth away from yours long enough to nibble the soft skin of your jaw, working my way to your ear to whisper to you, there is no zipper you have to pull it over my head._

_Your hands move down my back, over my hips and start inching my dress up so by the time my hemline reaches the tops of my soft, naked thighs, you peel it slowly over my head and you get that look on your face when you see I'm only wearing a very tiny pair of panties underneath it. My hands move over your chest and rip open your shirt, sending the buttons flying over the railing of our private deck. I throw your shirt over your shoulder, then move on to your belt. I can feel you get hot for me as my fingers brush up against your zipper ever so slightly as I slide the leather through your loops. It lands somewhere over with your shirt, but before I can unzip you, you're dragging me to the floor of our deck, pinning me beneath you so I can feel just what it is I do to your body._

'I can feel it too,' he said aloud to no one, slipping his hand south; her words had definitely gotten his blood moving and for the first time in three days he wasn't grinding on how much he missed his Alexis._  
><em>

_Then your mouth is on mine again and I start to sigh again, but it turns into a little gasp when your hands close over my breasts, rubbing the pads of your thumbs over my nipples. It makes me feel so good, Shane, and you can feel how hot I am for you, so you kiss my breasts, using your tongue on me. I arch my back in pleasure for you, and then you pop up, making me shiver as I watch you finish getting naked. You look so good, all that gorgeous caramel skin and the dark ink of your tattoo over your heart, but you don't come back to me. Instead you scoop me up and take me over to the lounge chair where you stretch out on your back and pull me down on top of you, so you fill me up, inch by glorious inch until I can feel you brush against my-  
><em>

It was as far as he could read, as Shane had gotten so worked up from reading the naughty little fantasy that he had no choice but to take matters into his own hands, thinking of Alexis naked and nubile and moaning in his ear for more the entire time. When he'd finished and he'd tidied himself up, he rolled to face his alarm clock and realized it was barely eight-thirty. Alexis wouldn't be calling for at least another hour and a half.

By the time she did call, he felt like a puppy waiting for his mistress to return after a long absence. 'Alexis,' he told her the moment he picked up the phone, 'Why didn't you send me that earlier this week?'

'Oh? I take it you enjoyed that little story?'

'Yeah, you might say that. Question.'

'Of course.'

'When do I get to see you to do that in person?'


	14. The Bridesmaid Dissolution

_Hello everyone! Hope you're enjoying Canadian Thanksgiving as much as I am! I just want to say how thankful I am to have met so many people through Twitter and Fanfiction as there have been some tough times in my life this last year and knowing I could go to them and just talk it out or write it out here with you that got me through it. I won't name names because you know who you are but I will say I love you all so much and you mean the world to me._

* * *

><p>'What flight number is it?'<p>

'Ah, let's see, British Airways, two-two-one-seven, should be landing...there!'

Alexis pointed to the info-board above the Arrivals gate at Newark Airport and grinned. 'She's here! She's here, she's here!'

Shane had to laugh; it had been awhile since he'd seen his bride-to-be so upbeat. The debate on her counseling position was eating away at her, not to mention the wedding planning and the her studies so when she announced her old flatmate from England was coming to visit for the week to get fitted for her bridesmaid's dress he'd breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Theresa was a fantastic girl, just a complete bucket of sunshine who never failed to make Alexis laugh.

'Okay, my sweet, she still has to clear customs, and that says they've just cleared passengers from the cabin.'

'I know, but still, she's here!'

Alexis was so jazzed about seeing Theresa that she didn't even notice it was nearly forty minutes later when she saw her old friend walking through the sliding doors, tugging her luggage-on-wheels behind her.

'Theresa!'

'Alexis!' Theresa threw her arms around her friend, squeezing hard and smiling. 'So good to see you! And Shane, oh man, I knew when you came to visit her, you'd be the one that stuck with her.'

'Nice to see you again too,' Shane replied and felt a little wobble in his stomach when he saw that the smile didn't quite reach Theresa's eyes. He wanted to ignore it, brush it off as jet-lag since Theresa had taken a red-eye from Gatwick to Newark, but the itch on the back of his neck. Instead he reached for her suitcase, while Alexis kept her arm looped through Theresa's as they left for the parking lot. 'How was your flight?'

'I've had worse going over the Atlantic. There wasn't a single edible thing on the flight, thank goodness I'd packed a couple of biscuits in me purse.'

'Well, not to worry, we've got a reservation tonight at seven o'clock for dinner, so you can relax and shower, take a nap to get right with the clock,' Alexis reassured her friend, patting her hand, 'and we can catch up on everything.'

'Shane will you be there?' Theresa inquired, making the itch come back with a vengeance on his neck.

'Yeah, I'm spending the night down here with Alexis, but not to worry her flatmate is out of town and has generously said you can stay in her room.'

'Splendid.'

'And of course Shane is coming to dinner!' Alexis all but sang it. 'We have lots of wedding things to discuss!'

* * *

><p>As Alexis had to study and all afternoon while Theresa napped and Shane was making notes to prepare for a court date coming up the following week he was able to keep his worries about Theresa to himself. He knew he was being ridiculous, there was no way they could be that cursed when it came to wedding-planning.<p>

But the feeling stayed with him as they headed out to The Lamplighter Steakhouse, especially as he saw the look on Theresa's face as Alexis started to talk about the troubles they'd been having trying to get everything organized. When they ordered drinks and Alexis stepped away to the ladies' room to find some tissues for a sudden sneezing fit, Shane inched closer and looked at Theresa dead in the eye.

'Out with it,' he ordered her in a low controlled voice; Theresa's hand shook ever so slightly as she reached for her gin and tonic. She went to open her mouth, but Alexis had popped back into her seat and was looking at Theresa with excitement as she pulled out her iPad from her oversized handbag.

'So, the tailor gave me this amazing software for us to play with to find the right look for your bridesmaid dress,' she started, then stopped when she saw Theresa give a little sigh. 'Tee, what is it?'

'It's...I can't be in the wedding anymore.'

'What?'

'It's part of the reason I came to talk to you. I've been working at an amazing telecommunications firm and they've offered me an eight-month contract training the new employees in Hong-Kong. I start on May twenty-fifth.'

'Wha...when did this happen?' Alexis asked, completed blindsided.

'Two months ago, but-'

'Two months,' Alexis repeated stiffly, her face going very pale.

'I've been busy, getting everything prepared to move my life half-way around the world.'

'And letting me know you're dropping out of my wedding, my _wedding_, wasn't worth at least a phone call, oh I don't know, when you found out back in February?'

'It's just one day, Lex, this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I'm sorry I can't be there for you.'

Theresa and Shane just watched Alexis as she sat there numb, staring at the mini-hurricane lamp in the middle of the table as if in a fugue state. 'Lexy,' the groom-to-be ventured, taking her hand in his, 'Yo, earth to Lexy.'

'I'm sorry there's a roaring ocean in my head not much is getting through right now.' Alexis pulled out her iPad and began to tap on it, making Shane wonder if his financee's brain had broken. Then he watched her hand it over to Theresa. 'This is the name of a hotel near our house. Text me when you've checked in, and your luggage will be dropped off. Now get the fuck away from me.'

'Lex, you're being a little ridiculous, don't you think?'

'No, I don't think I am,' Alexis replied, a little too calmly. 'I have dreamt about my wedding day since I was about seven years old and not once in any of my fantasies about my wedding did I envision a trusted friend, or someone I thought was a trusted friend, telling me it's just one day.'

'Alexis, come on you know I don't-'

'Theresa, it's time for you to leave,' she said with such subtle finality, Shane had a flash of his soon-to-be wife dressing down their future children for a wrongdoing. He wondered what it said about him that he also thought it was totally hot and bad-ass how she was laying down the law.

He watched the two women stare each other down, and finally Theresa gathered up her purse along with her coat and scarf, and made her exit silently if aggressively stalking past their poor waiter. It took about thirty seconds after her departure before Alexis let out a shaky breath and pressed her hand to her mouth.

'Shane.' She looked at him with tear-filled eyes and he was gripping her hand tightly.

'It'll be okay-'

'Shane, not now.'

'Alright. What do you want to do, then?'

'Right now, I want to think about something other than school or the wedding, I just want my biggest concern right now to be either the goat cheese salad or the pot roast soup for an appetizer.'

'Okay. If the waiter comes back, order me a draft of Heinie, alright?' At her nod, Shane kissed her head and got up like he was heading for the men's room, but ducked into the lounge area instead and pulled out his cellphone.

'Hey, it's Shane, listen I know this is kind of short notice, but you need to come to Princeton for Alexis. Yeah it's another wedding thing. A bad one. Okay, I'll see you in the morning.'

* * *

><p>The following morning, Alexis rolled over and groaned. She'd spent the night quietly crying herself to sleep after they'd returned from the restaurant where she'd made a point of not talking about anything related to school or the wedding with her fiance. She knew she was shutting him out but she could not afford to break down. She really couldn't, not with everyone counting on her.<p>

Yawning, she padded to the door of the bedroom, not giving Shane's absence a second thought - he liked having the shower first in the mornings so that by the time she was done with her morning ablutions, she could dress and he'd have breakfast made for them.

'Morning, baby girl.'

Alexis stopped short when she saw her fiance sitting at the kitchen table and Beckett at the stove, nudging fat slices of bacon around in a pan while bread cooked in the toaster. 'What are you doing here?'

'Shane called me, and my first question is, why didn't you?'

'Why didn't I what?'

'Call me last night, why am I hearing about Theresa walking out on the wedding party from him and not you since she was a bridesmaid?' Beckett asked sternly, pouring her girl a cup of strong black coffee, dumping in sugar in sloppy spoonfuls in her anger. 'I could just strangle you right now for making me worry like this I really could!'

'Why? Is it taking too much time away from your real family?' Alexis snapped moodily. 'My multiple crises over the wedding is taking too much time away from precious Jojo?'

'You are my real family Alexis,' Beckett countered; she wasn't an ace in interview because she looked pretty, 'and you better damn well get it through your head that just because I have a newborn girl to take care of doesn't mean you mean less to me. Now tell me what the hell happened.'

Alexis wanted to be a bitch, to use Beckett as an emotional punching bag over her own insecurities about her new little sister replacing her position in the Castle clan. But one look at the woman's eyes and she found herself spitting out instead, 'I am down a bridesmaid and I have no idea how to ask anyone else without sounding like they are a second-stringer being called in from the bench.'

'Well, then go get your wedding planning binder and we'll get planning.'


	15. The Two Headed Monster Assistance

'I'm worried about Shane and Alexis, man.'

'Me too, bro.'

Esposito and Ryan tossed the little Nerf football back and forth as they waited on the fax to come through from TSA. It was a quiet night in their division and as their captain had gone home for the night, they decided to get out their favourite think toy they didn't dare use when he was around.

'You think the wedding is still going to happen?' Ryan pondered, and Esposito gave him a weird little look. 'Yeah I didn't think that one through, did I?'

'Not a bit. I wouldn't be surprised if they eloped or something.'

'Me neither.'

'I mean,' Esposito half-laughed, 'how much more crap can they handle for getting their big day together?'

'What's the latest debacle?'

'You didn't hear about this one?'

Ryan shook his head, and he opened his mouth to ask what had gone wrong now, but the elevator was dinging, its door opening. Both detectives glanced over and raised an eyebrow when they saw Shane in jeans, a hoodie and a scarred leather jacket. ME's only came over for a visit at the building when they had serials, mob hits or other sensitive cases so Shane must have been in need of some friends.

'Hey guys.' Shane's handsome face was sleep-worn and his eyes were clouded with stress and fatigue. 'I'm on my way home, thought you might like to see my final report on Jamal Briscoe.'

'Oh, thanks man.' Esposito took the envelope that had Shane's notes, reports and photographs that they would need for the official file and set it aside, folded his arms across his chest. 'But you live over in Grammercy Park and you work on West Eight and Fifth at the morgue. How the hell is coming over to West Forty-Third and Avenue of the Americas to see us on your way home?'

'You don't want to go home?' Ryan asked, genuinely worried.

'It's not that, it's...' Shane sighed, raked his hand through his hair. 'It's Alexis, I'm so worried about her. I had to call Beckett down after her bridesmaid walked on her.'

'She what?'

'Theresa, her girl from England, flew in to tell Alexis two months ago she accepted a job offer in Hong-Kong and she is going to be unavailable for the wedding, but that's okay because it's just one day.'

'Just one day,' Esposito spluttered. 'I spent a year planning just one day with Mere and it was worth every minute of it because it was the best day of my life.'

'Jenny and I were spontaneous in our decision for that day but we got our special day too just last September when we renewed our vows just like a first-time ceremony,' Ryan added, sharing his friend's shock. 'How did Alexis take it?'

'About as well as you might think, so in other words, she's a total mess.'

'She's not home now, is she?'

'No.' Shane shook her head. 'No, she's at school until Wednesday, then she's got meetings with her clinical mentor all day on Thursday and Friday.'

'Good. Then the three of us are going out for a boys night,' Esposito said, making an executive decision.

'Don't you need to go be cops, track down the perp?'

'We'll be done here in...now.' Ryan went to the fax machine, picked up the incoming page. 'We know where the perp is, this just proves he's a scumbag and a liar. And besides, Markaway gets cranky when we interrupt him with Castle on their poker night.'

'That he does.'

'So we are done for the night, which means,' Esposito said with a cocky wink, 'we're just getting started.'

* * *

><p>They chose the bar where Ryan's sister Kelsey worked as lead bartender, sliding into a booth and ordering a round of beers along with a shot each of tequila and whiskey.<p>

'You need this, bro,' Esposito assured the stressed-out groom, nudging the tequila towards him and smiled when Shane tossed it back, ignoring the lemon wedges and the salt. 'Okay, you _really_ need this. Now talk.'

'Talk?'

'You know, guy talk,' Ryan encouraged him, reaching for the salt shaker and humming Jimmy Buffett as he did so. 'I'll start you off with an easy one. Were you and Alexis banging in the shower the afternoon we found out about you two?'

'No,' Shane laughed, then tossed back his whiskey. What the hell, they were two of his closest friends, right? And he knew Alexis shared details about him with her girls. Fair was fair. 'No, we'd been in bed before the shower. That was so she wouldn't go home smelling like my bedsheets.'

'Just your soap, a much better idea,' Esposito scoffed.

'You're forgetting, Rick and Kate already knew about us by then.'

'Oh yeah. What about the night you knocked her up?'

'Guys,' Shane laughed, 'I get what you're trying to do, but seriously, I'd rather save it for the wedding and try and sort my head out about what to do about Alexis. I'm seriously worried about her.'

Ryan and Esposito traded a look, realized that they could pour all the booze they wanted into their buddy but that wouldn't make his head feel any better about the issues he was stressed over. 'Okay, bro,' Esposito nodded, 'what's got you freaked? You getting cold feet?'

Shane reached over, grabbed a slice of lemon and squirted the acidic juice in the detective's direction. 'If I could, I'd marry Alexis tomorrow. Everyone knows that, including you.'

'So, what's the problem?'

'The problem is that she is far away trying to be Wonder Woman and I'm running out of options other than 'it'll all work out, sweetie' to try and calm her. You know after Theresa flaked on her, I actually had to call Beckett and get her to come down for the night so she was there for Alexis to talk to in the morning after she cried herself to sleep?'

Esposito gulped. 'Dude, why didn't you tell us things were getting so rough for her? We'd have helped, sent the girls down to give her a hand, or better yet help with things here?.'

'It's Alexis, sometimes she's too proud and independent for her own good, right?' Shane reminded them. 'But this latest snag has really hit her the hardest, though. She was counting on Theresa and she flaked hard on her.'

'And now Alexis needs to find a replacement who knows they are a second-stringer,' Ryan concluded, sipping his beer. 'That's gotta burn. Who else is doing it?'

'Lanie and Meredeth, and Sloan her pregnant best friend, is the maid of honour. She's been very little help to Alexis because she's pregnant and getting ready for her baby coming at the end of the month.'

'Is there anything that we can help with?'

'Tux fittings for the wedding are this Saturday. Be there on time because Alexis and I have to finalize the flowers after she's done with her own fittings. Which circles us back to the whole conundrum who will be the third bridesmaid.'

'Does she have any ideas on who she'll ask?' Esposito inquired, signaling to the waitress.

'Hard to say at this point. She was thinking her other flatmate Jacqui, but Jacqui got her French snooter bent out of shape when Alexis picked Theresa only instead of them both.' Shane combed his fingers through his hair. 'At this point, it could be Andrea, it could be Jenny, it be Eva Peron.'

'What else can we help with? Music? Food? Photography? Invitations?'

'Invitations.' Shane perked up at the word. 'Kev, your wife is into that calligraphy stuff, right?'

'Yah, she loves scrapbooking.'

'Could I impose upon her to help with the invites?'

Esposito chuckled. 'We'll make it a _Queer Eye_ day, bro. We'll pitch in, cut things, paste things, whatever is needed.'

'Thanks you guys.' Shane's stomach gave a gurgle and he leaned back. 'Man, I could use some food. I haven't been eating a lot lately.'

'I can imagine,' Ryan murmured, knowing it was best to not point out Shane, who was usually thick through the body like Esposito, had dropped an easy fifteen pounds since Max's birth back in February. 'What's catching your fancy?'

'Wings. Like my Lex, hot and spicy.'

'There he is, coming back.' Esposito informed the waitress of their need for wings and another round of beer, then gave Shane a lascivious look. 'Hot and spicy, huh? Redheads are always the wild ones, and I bet yours can get pretty wild.'

'Well...' Shane trailed off as he thought of when Alexis' had given him a striptease for his birthday and they'd made wild, manic love on the living room floor. 'Yeah, she can.'

'Now we're getting to the good stuff.' Ryan slapped his friend's shoulder. 'What about your first time with her?'

'Seriously? You want to know about that?'

'We're going to hear better and worse at your bachelor party.'

'Alright.' Shane told them about the first time he'd made love with his bride-to-be, saw the understanding of men in love with their own sweethearts there. 'I knew she was the right one right from that first time. It was like it was what we always did - I wake up to go on the night shift, she's there with me and we have sex so I go off to work smiling.'

'That attitude right there?' Esposito pointed at the ME. 'That's how I know all this crap about the wedding day prep is going to work out.'


	16. The Partnership Affirmation I

When Shane walked into his apartment building on Friday afternoon, he skipped the stairs and went for the elevator. Normally after a day at the microscope, he liked to walk up the six flights to stretch his legs even after taking the subway, but today he just wanted to get home, strip down and conk out until Alexis was home.

He unlocked the door and stopped short when he saw her sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of tea in her hands and a legal pad on the table in front of her.

'Hi, baby, what are you doing home so soon?'

'I finished my last meeting with Benton early, and have spent the last few hours in emotional hell.'

'Still no closer to a decision on the pilot project?' Shane queried, and Alexis nodded glumly.

'I've made a list of pros and cons, and there are an equal number, so I thought I'd try flipping a coin and it would tell me if I was disappointed with the outcome I really wanted the other, so then I thought-'

'Come with me.'

'What?' Alexis looked at her future husband, baffled and annoyed. 'What are you up to?'

'You are getting a hot shower. No quarreling.'

As she had pondered one herself to try and clear her head Alexis found following his instructions to be more like confirmation of her own wishes. She turned the taps, felt herself unwind only fractionally; once under the spray, all the scented soaps and creams in the world seemed to have little effect on her troubled psyche.

Twenty minutes later, hot and pink, she stepped out while belting her kimono only to nearly bump into Shane; he appeared to have been waiting for her outside the bathroom door. 'Now where?'

'The bedroom. You need a back-rub.'

Alexis wanted to grumble and groan she didn't have time for it, yet found she barely had the energy to stay on her feet as Shane turned on his stereo and their mixed mood-music CD was playing gently in the background while he stood in front of her, began to slowly undress her. 'If you're thinking now's a good time for sex, think again.'

'I'm not, not at all,' he reassured her. 'I'm thinking it kills me every time to see that look in your eyes and how there hasn't been much I can do lately to get rid of it.'

'Oh, Shane.' Alexis felt her defenses start to crumble. 'I'm so sorry.'

'For what?'

'Everything. For being such a diva, for not giving you the same support you've shown me, for...everything.'

'Alexis, there's going to be times when you need me while you freak out and there will be times when it's reversed. The give and take through the tough times gets us to the happy times, and at the end of the day, if you can go to bed and say, you've been rude, mean, selfish et cetera and I still love you, that's how you make a marriage work.'

She smiled as best as she could, even as exhausted tears threatened to overtake her. Instead she closed her eyes, savoured the feel of his touch on her body. When she was down to her engagement ring and a smile, she crawled onto the bed and lay face down; she didn't bother with a sheet over her hips for modesty as she waited for Shane to join her.

'Shane, are you going to use-' Alexis cut off her own words when the oil, warmed from his hands, hit her skin and she let out a moan, low and gutteral as he worked it into her tired muscles. 'Fuck me, that's the stuff.'

'Glad to hear it, and as for the 'fuck me' comment...' Shane leaned down, murmured in her ear, 'All in good time, my sweet. For now we're just going to do this.'

He stroked his hands up and down her back, paying special attention to the space between her shoulder-blades and her lowest rib-bones as Shane knew that was where she carried her stress. Under his touch, her skin was like butter - melting and sweet and soft as he worked and kneaded the muscles. He even went down as far as her butt and upper thighs, nearly getting kicked in the head when her heel swung up after he found a ticklish spot on the back of her left leg.

She was in the right frame of mind for it now, Shane knew. There might not be much they could control about the bad luck around the wedding preparations but he could definitely help with something else.

'Alexis, you mind if we try something?'

'As long as you wear a condom, honey, do whatever the hell you want to me.'

'No,' Shane chuckled. 'I was thinking about some kind of meditation exercise that might help you with your clinical dilemma.'

'At this point, anything might help,' Alexis mumbled her response. 'Fire away, Doctor.'

'Okay. When you hear the word 'clinical counselor', what do you think?'

'Underpaid yet passionate public servant dedicated to helping those in need.'

'And when you hear 'researcher', what do you think?'

Alexis felt the newly relaxed muscles tighten up once more. 'Cold, distant scientist who has no compassion for the human element of their research.'

'Which describes you?'

'Counselor. I want to help people, make their lives better, help them get better.' She sighed, wiggled a little beneath her man's strong, soothing hands. 'Shane, would you think of me as a snob if I said no to this position?'

'Not at all.'

'Really?'

'I'll tell you a story. When I was a first year surgical intern at George Washington, there was a woman who came in as part of a group from a hotel fire. She was sitting up and talking when they brought her in, and within a few hours, she was dead as a doornail. The rest of the interns in my year were all interested in getting more hot surgical cases but I manoeuvred my resident into letting me see the woman's autopsy, a watch-and-learn kind of thing.'

Shane paused as he reached for more oil to keep his hands soft and supple on Alexis' skin. 'Now, everyone had been saying that pathology was for surgical washouts, that we would be better off being janitors or nurses at the hospital than doing pathology, but I couldn't shake the feeling I'd gotten when I'd seen the pathologist, a Doctor Preston Quinn, tell the woman's family why she'd died. That had given a family ripped apart by sudden death some closure and that they could start to grieve and mourn and heal. I felt so good, so powerful with that feeling that I switched my .'

'That's how I feel when I get my patients to open up to me,' Alexis sighed. 'I am a good counselor and I would be wasted in compiling data.'

'Lex, I hate to be Captain Obvious, but I think you've got your answer.'

'I know I do. I think I've had that answer for a long time. It's the feeling that I'd look so ungrateful and disrespectful that's been holding me back, I think.'

'Yeah?'

She nodded sleepily, even as the hormones coursed through her body, awakening her desire for her man. 'Yeah, because Benton hand-picked me and he has the potential to blacklist me to any good organization. Not legally but socially, you know?'

'Benton is one doctor out of how many in this town. I think what you need to do is keep doing a clinical placement but in another clinic. Get yourself out there and get another doctor to give you a good reccommendation. You're good so that won't be too hard,' Shane told her, 'and I don't say that as your husband, I say that as a fellow medical professional.'

Alexis rolled over, looked at him in the eye. 'That's the best thing I've heard you say all day.'

'Well, you are going to be an amazing doctor, Alexis.'

'Not that. The part where you said you're my husband. That sounded so good Shane.' Alexis ran her palm over her stomach, up to the valley between her breasts. She felt the liquid rush in her veins that always came from seeing him for who he was, just as he saw her for who she was. She sat up, pressed her lips against his in a desperately reassuring kiss, as if she needed to remind herself at the end of a shitty day, she had a good man to be her life partner through it all. 'You always know how to make me feel so good, baby. I love you so much.'

'I love you right back.'

Overwhelmed suddenly by the raw, surging hormones inside Alexis scooted back a little, propped herself against the pillows on their bed, began to run her hands over her body. 'You want to see what you to do me, you make me feel?'

Shane gulped as he sat back, watched her hand drifted down from the tops of her breasts, over her stomach and her body down to the sweet cradle between her thighs. He watched as that delicate, fine-boned hand slipped back and forth, making her eyes cloud over so slightly.

'This is what you give me Shane,' she murmured. 'You give me the confidence in myself to do what I feel, what I want to be. I've never had that before you, so I know that...that when I go to Benton on Monday and tell him I'm not taking the job, I'll be okay with it, and that I won't have disappointed you or my family.'

'I'm so glad to hear that,' he said back in the same tone, then moved closer to her, nudged her thighs apart. His heart thumped hard, as he grew hard himself. 'Now let me see you.'


	17. The Partnership Affirmation II

Hearts pounding from the good, sweaty, mind-emptying sex they indulged in after Shane's massage, they stayed kneeling in their bed with their linked hands loosely gripping the headboard rails. The air was scented with musk and massage oil as Raul de los Palmas' sensual voice floated around them.

'Alexis,' Shane all but whimpered her name. 'I love you so much.'

'Love you too.'

'You hungry?'

'Famished.'

The houseline rang and Shane picked up, hoping he didn't sound too satisfied; he saw the Caller-ID and it wouldn't do too well to let Castle know he'd just finished ravishing Alexis. 'Hello.'

'Hi-hi Shane!'

'Hey, RJ, my main man, what's happening little bro?'

'Mumum say you an' Alessis comin' fo' suppah an' a suh-leep-ovah!'

Shane could hear Beckett giggling in the background, making him aware he was on speaker phone. 'Oh did she now?'

'Uh-huh, we havin' Messican fo' dinner, an' it way yummy.'

'Well, let me check with my missus,' he told RJ and made the little boy laugh.

'What a missus, Shane?'

'That would be Alexis, she is going to be Missus Weaver and eventually Doctor Weaver.'

'Cool!' There was a small murmuring in Beckett's motherly tone and RJ said, 'Shane Mumum wanna talk-a you.'

There was another small shuffling noise and Beckett came on the line. 'Hey guys, I know it's last minute notice, but RJ has been jonesing to see you both, he misses his sister a lot so I thought if you want, you can come for dinner and a sleepover here.'

'Hold on.' Shane looked at Alexis who was already nodded away. 'Yeah, we can definitely do that. We'll see you in about an hour or so?'

'Sounds good to me. Yes, RJ, they're coming. God, make sure it's not any longer than an hour, okay? RJ will send out a search party.'

* * *

><p>An hour later, as promised, Alexis and Shane stepped off the elevator at the loft and walked in to the smell of tomatoes and cumin and sharp cheddar cheese. The fragrance of it alone made her want to weep, until she heard the squeal of joy from RJ as he came barreling across the living room.<p>

'Alessis! My Alessis here! Hi my Alessis!'

RJ clamped his arms around his sister's legs, looked up at her with dark blue eyes shining. 'Mumum say you sad ah-cause you feelin' lef' out?'

'I was a little bit, but I said that because I was angry, not because I meant it,' Alexis replied, looking at Beckett with her heart brimming over.

'Goo', ah-cause no-one 'pace my Alessis,' RJ told her sternly, then held up his arms to be scooped up; the moment he was settled on her hip, he gave her a big smacking kiss and a squeezing hug once more, this time around her ribs. 'You the bes'.'

'Thank you so much, RJ.' She looked at Shane, who gave her a nod. 'You know what else?'

'Wha'?'

'You're the best too.'

'Ah-course, Alessis. I Ah-Shay, I best buh-ro ev'ah!' RJ squirmed against her, poking her near her collarbone. 'Wanna see ou' Sho-sho?'

'Oh, you're willing to share her now?' Shane laughed as they went into the living room where Castle and Jojo were stretched on the floor on the little girl's play-mat. The coffee table had been moved and they were having a grand old time looking at all the bright coloured pictures on the mat.

'That's a giraffe, and that's a hippo, and that's an iguana, Jojo,' Castle cooed at his baby girl, then looked up at his big girl. 'Hey honey, you just get here?'

'Yeah, couldn't you tell by RJ's freaking out?'

'Truthfully? No. He's been freaking out since Kate said that she was going to invite you two over for dinner.'

'An' a suh-leep-ovah, Daddy,' RJ reminded him, going to fetch a stuffed toy for Jojo from the round plastic toy-tub. 'Here, Sho-sho, you wan' Misser Monkey?'

'Blb,' was Jojo's reply as she batted her little hands against the mat in glee. 'Blb.'

'Can I hold her?' Alexis asked, almost timidly, and Castle felt his heart break a little bit.

'Alexis, she's your sister, of course you can.'

Shane watched her kneel down, scoop the baby into her arms and give a shaky sigh as the baby didn't fuss or fret but just snuggled herself against the warm, feminine body. Jojo cooed and burbled away, tugging at Alexis hair when it caught her fancy.

'Yeah, that's like yours, isn't it?' she murmured, breathing deep the baby's scent of powder and soap. 'Oh, I could just stay here with you all night.'

Castle watched his daughters together, as a point Beckett had made suddenly slammed home - they hadn't done nearly enough while Alexis was away to make sure that she was included. Alexis had enough on her plate with studying and clinical work and wedding planning that seemed to go sideways at every possible turn; the least he and Beckett could have done in the last three months as supportive parents was invite her over more often, or called more frequently, or better yet, not use the phrase 'family activity' when it didn't include her.

The girl was unraveling and they hadn't done nearly what they could have, and they called themselves good parents? Castle lightly shook his head. This would be fixed, right away.

'So, Kate and I were talking, Shane,' he ventured cautiously, 'and we would like to host Passover dinner for you and your parents next week.'

'What?' Shane's head whipped around to stare at the writer.

'I don't think either of us realized just how bad things have been for you two until Beckett went to visit last week, so we are stepping up our game for you. And part of that is going to be hosting Passover dinner next week.'

'Rick, I don't want to be ungrateful, but...next week I have to tell my parents, whose own parents survived the Shoah, that Alexis and I can't find a rabbi willing to marry us without her converting first and neither of us want her to convert.'

'Maybe you don't have to. Who have you found or asked to do the ceremony?'

'Markaway, he agreed to do it.'

'Let me talk to him. He owes me a favour,' Castle said, giving his chin a scratch and making Shane laugh.

'Okay, Don Ricardo.'

'Dad?' Alexis turned towards her father with Jojo in her arms. 'She keeps sticking her tongue out, I think she's hungry.'

'Daddy, Alessis gotta give Sho-sho a bottle!' RJ told Castle. 'She nee' paddis be a mumum.'

'Let's not get ahead of ourselves, little bro,' she laughed.

'No, you be a buh-ride firs'. Then a dotta an' _then_ a mumum.'

Deciding to have a little fun with RJ, Shane leaned forward. 'What will we have first, RJ a boy or girl?'

'Gil! Be a buddy fo' Sho-sho, an' she name...she name...Ka-tee-na!'

'Okay, glad we got that cleared up.'

'If you are all done playing with the babies,' Beckett informed them, walking over while drying her hands on a towel, dinner is ready and I could use a hand putting things on the table. And RJ, Jojo's just making funny faces we already gave her a bottle, remember? Just after I called Alexis and Shane to come for dinner.'

'Oh yeah! Okay, she sit wit' us atta table?'

'Of course.'

Beckett smiled as Alexis brought the baby to her newborn sized high-chair and buckled her in, kissing the top of her nose and making her sneeze. Then she was a little surprised when Alexis came over and wrapped her arms around her mother's body, made a little 'mm' noise as she squeezed her.

'Thank you, Mom, for everything.'

'I'm your mother, Alexis, it's in the job description,' was Beckett's reply. 'You seem like you're in a better mood.'

'I am, I've got news and...and it's pretty big.'

'Big news?' Castle gave his daughter an eagle eye, looked her up and down. 'Is RJ right in his guess?'

'No, no, it's career related.' Alexis saw her parents both waiting for her to spit it out. 'I've decided not to take the position with Benton's project. I'm not a data analyst, I'm a counselor. That's why I'm going to medical school and I know it would be prestigious to work on that kind of group study but at the same time, if I take that experience for a job interview or an application, they're going to look at my clinicial hours, not how well I do paperwork.'

She held her breath, waited for the waterfall of accusations and other sundry barbs, but to her utter amazement Castle and Beckett just smiled and nodded with patient understanding.

'You have to do what's best for you Alexis. We're not going to judge the decision you've made because we all know how miserable you would be as a number-cruncher,' Beckett replied, then pulled Alexis in for a hug when she saw the sparkle of tears in the young woman's eyes. 'What, did you think we'd force you to take it?'

'No, but...oh, God, I'm just still trying to wrap my head around having made my decision.'

'Alessis? Whassa mattah?' RJ asked, ever the tenderheart. 'Mumum, suh-cooshie puh-lease, my Alessis sad.'

Beckett stepped back and RJ was on his sister like ugly on an ape. 'No be sad, Alessis. We havin' Messican and it yummy, and you 'tay fo' suh-leep-ovah. It all be okay.'


	18. The Mother Daughter Discussion

Dinner was delicious, and exactly the kind of comfort food the stressed-out bride and groom needed: Castle had made burri-males, tamales stuffed with burrito beef-and-bean and cheese filling, along with tortilla chips, homemade salsa verde and pico de gallo. The feeling of everyone being there for a family meal as they just let Alexis and Shane talk about everything that had happened with the wedding and how they were going to right the ship brought Alexis a sense of peace that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Of course, RJ could always be counted on for a good laugh with his combination of sweetness and innocence. He chased around bits of tomato and tamale on his plate, asking Alexis and Shane if they were going to sleep in the same room like they did for naptime.

'Yes, we are, because we like to cuddle up together, just like Mom and Dad,' Alexis told him and RJ narrowed his eyes at Shane.

'Shane?'

'Yes RJ,' the doctor chuckled; he knew that tone almost as well as he knew the moods in his fiancee's voice.

'You go beddie-byes wit' pee-shays?'

'Do I go beddie-byes with pjs?' Shane repeated, a little baffled.

'Uh-huh, Daddy no like pee-shays.'

Alexis looked at her parents, who were turning a little pink in the cheeks. 'Did he walk in on something?'

'I'll tell you over ice cream,' Beckett said with a wink, scooping up beef and beans and cheese.

'Shane, no pee-shays no' nice,' RJ informed him, munching the last of his dinner down. 'Haffa be nice when visitin'. Sho-sho, wha-sha doin'?'

The adults all looked over at the three-month-old baby who was wrinkling up her face and squirming. A few seconds later, they all recoiled in disgust at the smell while Jojo just gave them a gummy little smile.

'Jojo, you are three months old, how the goodness do you produce such noxious gasses?' Castle asked, looking at his little girl. He wiped his mouth, stood up from the table to pick her up. 'Come on, let's go get that tushy tidied up.'

'Daddy, I come too? I finish suppah.' RJ held out his plate for inspection, and his father nodded.

'Alright, Cadet Castle, you're in for diaper duty too.'

'Coo'.'

Beckett waited until her men and the baby were out of ear range before turning to her daughter and almost son-in-law. 'We'd had a romantic night and were so tired we didn't bother with any pyjamas before going to bed. RJ got up early the next morning and was freaking out as to why we had no clothes on.'

'Oh, man Kate,' Shane laughed. 'How'd you explain that one?'

'I said that sometimes Mumum and Daddy liked to cuddle in bed but Daddy gets so sweaty he's comfier with no clothes on.'

'Dodged that bullet, sort of,' Alexis added, reaching for another tamale then hesitating. 'I have a dress fitting tomorrow and don't want a food baby, but I'll be snacking and eating during the wedding so-'

'Alexis.' Shane and Beckett chorused her name, Beckett adding, 'Not everything has to be planned within an inch of its life for a wedding. I know this might sound mean, but lighten up, it's supposed to be fun planning a wedding.'

'I know, and there is something I'm very excited for tomorrow.'

'Oh yeah?'

'Yeah, we're having a boys day with the groomsmen after the fittings to do the invitations.'

'What?' Beckett laughed, unsure if she'd heard it right.

'Yep, we're invading the Ryan apartment to make our invitations with Honey-Milk and the boys,' Shane confirmed, passing Alexis the salsa verde. 'They took me out for some beers on Wednesday night and decided this was just how it was going to be for them to rock it out as ushers.'

'They are about as stubborn of men as you'll ever find, and most of the time, like now, that's a good thing.'

Alexis grinned, went to scoop up more of her tamale and frowned when her fork hit her empty plate. 'Huh. Guess I was hungrier than I thought.'

'Mumum! Sho-sho all fuh-resh on-a bum!'

RJ announced it loud and proud as he descended the stairs behind Castle and Jojo, coming over to the table and taking his little plate. 'It tidy-up time?'

'I think so. You can take your plate over, RJ,' she told him, then looked at Alexis. 'You mind giving me a hand getting things cleaned?'

As Beckett often asked her for help in the kitchen when she wanted to talk to her about Something Serious so it wouldn't seem so heavy, Alexis nodded. She stood up, took her and Shane's empty plates over to the prep area, scraped the extra uneaten bits into the garbage.

'So, how are you doing?' Beckett asked her gently.

'Honestly? I think I'm going to be okay. It's...I feel like I should have a back-up plan for everything that's gone amok with the wedding and because I don't that makes me weak and sniveling, and then when people look after me it feels like I'm being a spoiled brat.'

'Alexis, slow down and take a breath. Plenty of weddings have faced challenges in their preparation and then like a week before, it all comes together.'

'I hope so.'

'Okay, right now, I want you to name me three things that have gone right with the wedding planning,' Beckett told her. 'What is a sure thing?'

'The chuppah will be ready to go, Esposito's friend has seen to that. My dress is finished being sewn, it's just a matter of getting it fitted. And we have our venue locked tight. Oh and we've got our cake set and our flowers set too, and the photography.' Alexis paused, gave a little laugh. 'Huh. Guess it isn't as bad as I thought.'

'See? It's all about your attitude,' Beckett started, hastily adding, 'not that you've had a bad one, sweetie, just...your priorities have been your schoolwork and career lately, so it's easy to see only the negatives.'

'Yeah. My dad is such an optimistic guy, where do I get that from?'

'He has his moments, not to worry.'

Beckett went to the table, brought dishes over to wrap up for leftovers. She saw the boys were wrapped up with playing with the baby so she didn't worry about asking her next question. 'Can you tell me about the dress?'

'Mom, you have to wait until tomorrow to see it. No spoilers for you.'

'You still want me there?'

'Of course,' Alexis said, then looked at her mother and realized something else important tonight - it wasn't just her that was upset with the circumstances she found herself in, or Shane. The people here in New York, her family, were just as worried as she was. 'You're my mom, I need my mom there when I try on my wedding dress.'

'Dammit, no tears tonight,' Beckett protested with a watery giggle. 'I want to store them for tomorrow, when it's the right time.'

'Well, how about you go stick your face in the freezer to find our ice cream for dessert?'

'Thanks for the tip, Almost-Doctor Weaver.'

'Alessis?' RJ came walking into the kitchen, his little brow furrowed in concentration. 'Alessis, I haffa weddin' question.'

'Okay, little bro.'

'Why we haffa wear tessi-does?'

'Because a wedding is a very special day and we want to make sure we look our fanciest,' Alexis replied, grinned at RJ's pout while she put on coffee.

'Sho-sho too?'

'Jojo too, she'll be wearing a little sundress,' Beckett laughed, her motherly heart already sighing in delight. 'And Alexis will be wearing a gorgeous white dress.'

'Ah-cause she a buh-ride, and Shane wea' tessi-do ah-cause he a 'room.'

'That's right.' Alexis held out her fingertips to her brother. 'That is some awesome vocabulary you got happening.'

'Whassa vo-ba-ba-lee?'

'Your vocabulary is the list of words you know.'

'Oh. Sho-sho no' haffa vo-ba-ba-lee ah-cause she no' say words?'

Beckett joined in Alexis' laughter. 'RJ, you just might be the cutest little boy ever. No, she doesn't have a vocabulary yet because she can't talk yet, my little prince.'

'But there is another reason you have to be fancy for the wedding, RJ,' Shane informed him, following the scent of coffee. 'You are going to have a special part in the ceremony. You get to be the ring bearer.'

'What a ring bea-wah?'

'That is the little boy who holds a pillow with our wedding rings on it during the ceremony. It's a very important part. Think you can handle that, bro?'

RJ's little chest visibly puffed with pride. 'I you' man, Shane an' Alessis. I be a goo' ring bea-wah.'

'Right now, ring bearer, you want some ice cream?'

'Yes puh-lease, Shane. It sho-co-late?'

'Of course, only way to go.' Shane got down a small bowl for the boy, knowing the women were watching him. 'So tomorrow, you are coming with me to the tailor's for your tuxedo. Your daddy's not going to be there, which means I'm in charge so you'll do what?'

'I lissen-a you, Shane,' RJ said in a 'why are you asking this' tone. 'You the boss ah-mo-wow.'

'Exactly. Two hands, buddy,' he replied, passing the dish of ice cream over, then looking at his bride to be and future mother-in-law. 'What?'

'Nothing,' Beckett trilled, grinning like a Cheshire, 'Just can't wait until you and Lex have babies of your own.'


	19. The RJ Curiosity

When dessert was done, and Beckett and Castle had gone upstairs to put Jojo and RJ to bed, Shane and Alexis decided to hang downstairs and check out _Dallas, Lieutenant Eve_ on Blu-Ray. Alexis pointed out to the rather squeamish Shane that they were sort-of being the parents turning a blind eye to the couple wanting to sneak off and get romantic.

'I really don't want to think about your parents doing it, I work with your mom,' Shane complained lightly as Alexis tried out the different-angles feature of the Blu-Ray player.

'So? How do you think I felt when you were staying over and we'd get all romantic ourselves, and they both knew exactly what was going on?' Alexis countered, giving him a cocked-eyebrow look. 'That's kinda hypocritical on both our parts to pretend nothing is going on.'

'That's true , but it doesn't mean I want to think about it.'

'Want to watch a nice grisly sci-fi murder series to take your mind off of it?'

'Uh-huh.' Shane reached for his coffee and then looked up when RJ came downstairs in his adorable Cat in the Hat pyjamas, dragging Omeo with him. 'RJ, what's wrong, my main man? Why are you out of bed?'

'Sum-pin no' coo' wit' Mumum an' Daddy,' he yawned, knuckling at his left eye.

'Oh? What's going on?'

'They makin' funny soun's. I can' suh-leep.'

Alexis clapped her hand to her mouth, turned away so her boys see her laughing, leaving Shane her one true love swinging in the wind. 'Oh, man,' she muttered, pausing the DVD and getting up to make tea. 'Shane, that's all you.'

'Lex-'

'I'm not a boy, you can explain it to him better than me.'

'Shane?' RJ looked expectantly at the man. 'Why Mumum an' Daddy soun' funny?'

'It...well...have your parents told you how babies are made, RJ?' Shane asked cautiously.

'Mumum an' Daddy love eash odder an' they moosh an' hug inna bed 'gedder.'

'That's right, that's pretty close to the truth. But sometimes, grown-ups in love like to show how much they love each other by practicing to make a baby.'

'Why?'

'Because it makes them feel good, to hug and kiss each other just because.'

'Oh.' RJ frowned, then looked up the stairs. 'I go an' say love you too?'

'No, not right now, they need some privacy.'

'Why?'

Shane closed his eyes, prayed for patience, then opened them to glance over at his bride who had literally fled the scene. 'Well, you know how sometimes you like to be alone with Trini?'

'Uh-huh.' RJ blushed, though of how Trini let him hold her hand when they watched movies together at her house, their own little secret.

'This is like that.'

'Oh. Shane?'

'Yes buddy.'

'You an' Alessis like alone-time too?'

'Of course,' Shane replied, then thought, _did I really just admit to a litle boy I'm doing his older sister?_ The thought was shoved from his mind when RJ kept talking.

'You paddis makin' a baby?'

'Yes we do, to make sure when the time comes for us to have a family, we get it just right.'

'It good-a paddis. Make it piff-eck.'

'RJ, would you like a little cup of tea?' Alexis asked, coming over to the couch once more, then looking at her brother with a funny look. 'What?'

'Alessis, it okay wit' me you an' Shane paddis makin' a baby.'

'Is it now?' Alexis glared in stunned amazement as Shane looked away innocently at the DVD case. 'RJ, I'm so glad to have your approval, but you didn't answer my question. Would you like a little cup of tea?'

'Yes puh-lease.'

Alexis disappeared once more, leaving RJ to sit with Shane; he kept feeling funny little butterflies in his tummy every time he heard Alexis and Shane talk about the wedding. 'Shane? You 'till visit when you an' Alessis married?'

'Of course, we'll have pictures to share from our honeymoon, and holidays and birthdays. You'll be kicking us out the door, saying go home, be married.' Shane pulled the boy into his lap, gave him a loose hug. 'And of course, we want to be there for Jojo too, watch her grow up.'

'I 'till 'pishal too?'

'You are the man, RJ. How could you not be?'

'Here we are.' Alexis brought over a tea-tray with the pot, an espresso cup and a regular sized cup and the accoutrement for the tea. 'RJ, how much would you like?'

'Oh, no gassy.'

'You changed your mind, you don't want any tea?'

RJ shook his head, then yawned. 'I too suh-leepy. No 'pillies.'

'No spillies is right. You want me to come and tuck you in?'

'No, I big, I do it. Nigh'-nigh', Less.' He pecked her cheek, then held out his fist to Shane for a knuckle-bump. 'Nigh'-nigh' Shane. See in-a mornin'.'

'Night-night little bro.'

Shane waited, watching the tot carefully climb the stairs and counted to five before turning to Alexis. 'Okay, let's have it.'

'Are you seriously telling me that you told RJ we have sex?' Alexis exploded, befuddlement permeating her voice. 'And my parents too?'

'He doesn't know it's sex, all he knows is that it involves hugging and kissing. You'd prefer I showed him a nature video? BBC's _Two Lions in the Serengeti?_ That's how my mother tried to explain it to me when I kept getting stiffies as a twelve year old.'

'One, no nature videos and two? Stiffies? Really?'

'Well-'

'Oh, nevermind.' Alexis waved it off, cuddled back against his body. 'I'd much rather worry about more important things. Mom and Dad can handle giving RJ the birds-and-bees lecture.'

'I've never understood that particular American idiom. Birds and bees do not have sex with each other. But you're right more important things, like wedding things?'

'Yep. ut upstairs. It's been a long day and I want to get some rest.'

They headed over to the main-floor guest room, where Alexis stripped out of her clothes into her pyjamas, thinking about the feeling that was creeping through her - excitement and more importantly, happiness. It was the first time in a long time she'd actually felt excited when she thought about the wedding day itself.

'Shane? I think we've finally turned a corner, and we are going to have a bit of good luck for the wedding.'

He looked over at Alexis; she'd already changed into a loose t-shirt and he knew she would leave her panties on, which made him only slightly disappointed despite the fact they'd made very violently passionate love that afternoon. 'Be careful, Lex,' he warned her teasingly. 'The last time you said that, Theresa bailed on us.'

'Yah, but there's a big weight that's been lifted from my shoulders which is finally making a decision about my clinical offer,' she pointed out, 'which means I can probably get a decent night's sleep tonight.'

'I'm hoping for it. What time do you and the girls have to be at the dressmaker's?'

'Ten-thirty, which means - whoopee - I get to sleep until eighty-thirty tomorrow morning.'

'And I will make sure you sleep well.'

Despite having just tugged on his Down in Ashes concert tee, Shane peeled it over his head and crawled into bed on top of Alexis, kissing her playfully. 'You're awful horny today, Shane,' she told him point-blank.

'It makes me happy to see you come back to yourself some more. I don't like seeing you so worried all the time.'

'Aw, what a 'shmellow.'

Alexis kissed him back, legs shifting so her thighs bracketed his hips as her arms came around his shoulders to pull him close. She felt the liquid rush in her belly, the warm shimmer of love down her spine as his lips nibbled softly against hers. Groaning a little bit, she sighed into his mouth. 'Shane, I love you but I really want to sleep.'

'I know baby. Here.'

He turned back the bed-sheets and slipped in, patted the space beside him. 'Come sit by me.'

'Thanks baby.' She crawled in beside him. 'Besides, I have a little proposition for you.'

'Oh?'

'Man you are thinking all below the belt today.'

'You do have that effect on me. What is your proposition?'

'I am going to say that I think we are going to finally be bad luck free in planning our wedding. Whomever out of the two of us has the disaster tomorrow buys the lunch. If neither of us has anything bad happen, we will split the bill. Sound good?'

'Very. Now try to get some rest.'

* * *

><p>The following morning, the happy couple stumbled out to the breakfast table yawning and stretching, murmuring about the morning sex they'd quietly indulged in so as not to disturb the rest of the household.<p>

'Morning everyone,' Alexis beamed at her parents and siblings; the smile froze in place when Castle and Beckett both gave her an evil glare. 'Did I miss something?'

'Hi-hi Alessis! Hi-hi Shane!' RJ waved brightly, offering them an innocent smile. 'I tell Mumum an' Daddy it okay-a paddis makin' a baby, jus' like you!'

'Did you?' she said faintly, flexing her palm against Shane's.

'Yes he did.' Castle stared at his daughter and her man. 'What exactly did you tell him last night?'


	20. The Tuxedo MixUp

'No, Shane, I no wanna!'

'RJ, remember, we talked about this.'

Shane watched as RJ cleaned up his toys with the speed of a snail stuck in January molasses. He didn't blame the boy for dragging his feet - what three and a half year old actually wanted to go suit-shopping, even if it was for 'sum-pin 'pishal'?

Still, he and Alexis were planning to have babies in the future and he knew taking care of RJ and Jojo on good days and bad was a good litmus test for family planning. On top of which he wanted to make sure he had time to bond with him just the two of them away from the house; taking the boy for his wedding-party tux fitting would provide such an opportunity.

'Come on, RJ,' Shane tried again, 'you know you need your tuxedo for the wedding, as do I, and we have to go to the suit-shop to make sure they fit properly.'

'No. No wanna.'

'RJ,' he started, then switched tactics, going for the boy's kryptonite. 'Fine, but then I have to tell Jojo you didn't want to look fancy for your sister's wedding. Trini too.'

It had the desired effect - RJ's dark blue eyes went round as he froze with one of his trucks in his hand. 'No. No do that.'

'Well, then you know what you have to do.'

'I goo'! I do it!'

Suddenly the toddler's speed increased five-fold and within twenty minutes, the two of them were heading out of the building for the subway and speeding across town to Rodolfo, the tailor shop Cam had recommended. When they arrived, they saw the two-headed monster was already there, perusing the selection of Italian silk ties.

'Kevin! Javi! Hi-hi!' RJ waved brightly with one hand, the other holding fast to Shane's, as per his instructions. 'We gonna be fancy!'

'Yes we are, little bro,' Esposito agreed, crouching to scoop the boy up in a loud bear hug. 'Oh, man, you are getting too big, RJ.'

'Javi, my Tah-rini gonna be fancy for-a wedding too?'

'Yes, she's already got her dress picked out and tries it on once a week at least,' Esposito replied, speaking nothing but the truth; his baby girl was a little fashionista while Tessi liked to look nice in general. 'But she said that it's a surprise for you, so no telling.'

'She silly,' RJ decided, then looked over when the door opened and Dave came in, followed by Body; the latter's appearance had Shane's jaw dropping.

'Dude, what happened to your hair?'

'You dig it?' Body slicked his hand over the shiny mink-brown locks that had been straightened and smoothed and tied back into a natty tail. 'Figured since this is how it's going to look on the big day, I should give it a test run. What do you think?'

'It look like Mumum's,' RJ piped up, making the other men laugh.

'Your mumum has pretty hair so I take that as a compliment.'

'Good plan,' Shane chuckled, then gestured to Esposito, Ryan and Dave. 'You remember everyone?'

With introductions remade, the men headed back towards the fitting rooms where they were to meet with Rodolfo, head tailor and owner of the shop. Shane remembered the guy from going with Body to get pricing on the suits; he was a willowy man with over-gelled hair and a lapel magnet for keeping hemming pins handy. Instead they saw a short, portly gentleman who wore a tape measure around his neck while he talked on his cellphone.

'Call you back,' he barked gruffly at the phone, then turned to look at the group. 'What?'

'Ah, we're here for the ten-am fittings, the Weaver wedding party?' Shane ventured cautiously, and the man nodded in understanding.

'Right, right, Rodolfo said you'd be popping in. Well, have a look around, see if something catches your fancy and let me know.'

'No, sir.' Now Body stepped forward in solidarity. 'We already have a selection of suits set aside, we're here for fittings and alterations. Last name Weaver.'

'Oh, well, not really my department but I guess I can work something out.'

'The only new addition should be the child's suit, as they were not in stock for the last fitting.'

'Right, right,' the man said with a distancing wave of the hand as he disappeared into the lay-aways room.

The callous disinterest of the man's tone had Shane's hackles going up, and he'd never been more thankful for his relationship with RJ in that moment - the little boy, whom Esposito had set back on his feet, wandered over to Shane and poked him in the fleshy part of his thigh as the men all took seats in the dressing area's lounge.

'Shane, I no like'im.'

'No?'

'Nuh-uh. He mean an'...an' he no' think it 'pishal.'

'You're right about that,' Ryan commented. 'You could be a detective, RJ, just like your mom-'

'Mumum, Kevin, she my mumum.'

'Right, your mumum, or a writer like your daddy.'

'Nuh-uh.' RJ shook his head. 'I gonna be a shif.'

'A chef.' Dave tried to contain his amusement, but the boy had such an infectious manner it was impossible to be stern around him. 'Why's that?'

'I like makin' cookies. I call my res-a-ron 'Tah-rini', ah-cause she like cookies too.'

'Just like me naming a sandwich after Faisal,' Body laughed. 'It became a best-seller, too.'

'Who Fizzle? She you' gil-fuh-rien', Body?' RJ asked innocently, making all the men through glances at each other. Fortunately, Body was used to answering this question, even when the one who asked it was an under-fiver.

'No, Faisal is my boyfriend. We live together over by Central Park.'

'Oh, like Dell Tessi boy-fuh-rien'?'

'Man,' Esposito muttered even as Body laughed.

'I have no idea who Tessi and Dell are, but yes, like that. We love each other just like any pair of people in love do.'

'You give'im fuh-lowers?' RJ, ever an accepting soul, eyed him up the same way he had Shane when he was old enough to start giving him crap about being a good enough man for his sister. 'Shane love Alessis, he give her fuh-lowers.'

'No, we're not big on flowers. We give each other nice bottles of wine instead. Faisal likes good wine.'

'Tha' nice too. Shane?'

'Yes RJ,' he replied, wondering what the youngster was cooking up in that busy brain of his.

'May-be nex' buh-ro nigh', Body an' Fizzle come too?'

'We'll see, it depends if they have plans or not.'

It wasn't a no, and RJ knew given how his mother worked that plans were always supposed to be flexible so he smiled and nodded. Soun' good-a me.'

'Where did you find this kid?' Body asked, looking around at the other men.

'He's Richard Castle's son,' Dave replied, 'that should tell you everything you need to know.'

'That it does, and...oh no.'

All heads turned towards the door opening to the lay-away room where the portly man was bringing out a rack of suits. Only, they weren't the sleek charcoal black tuxedos with the smoky purple vests and white ties, and purple yarmulkes; these were a hideous powder blue with giant albatross wing lapels and tight pants that would leave no room for imagination just how lucky all their wives were.

'What are those?' Shane asked warily and the salesman rolled his eyes.

'Look, these are the only suits we have on lay-away back there for Whitmire.'

'Goody for Whitmire,' he countered acidly. 'My name is Weaver, not Whitmire. W-E-A-V-E-R.'

'Oh. Well you might have said that in the first place,' the man groused. 'I will look again, but I can't promise anything.'

'Well how about you take your promise and-'

Shane was cut off from swearing a blue streak at this idiot when his cellphone rang; a quick look at the caller-ID and he felt the warmth of love bloom in his chest.

'Hello, my one true love.'

'Hi, baby,' Alexis replied sunnily. 'How are the fittings going?'

'Running a little behind. I'll pick up lunch for everyone at Ryan's.'

She giggled, ready to do a little victory dance. 'Oh really?'

'Yeah, I mos-def lost the wager today, my sweet. And I have to go because there are some suits heading my way.'

Alexis laughed, told her fiance she loved him and hung up, then looked over at Sloan who was rubbing the mountain of her belly as they waited for a taxi. 'What?'

'You just sound so...married already.'

'Well, you know how it is when you've been together three and a half years. Listen, Sloan.' Alexis sighed, sat down beside her friend. 'There's something I want to talk to you about, and I really don't want you to take offense to it. I'm...I need to ask you to step down as my maid of honour. I still want you in the wedding but you're so close to the end of term with the baby that I just want you and Garrett worry about getting ready for that without the stress of wedding planning.'

'Oh thank God!' Sloan pressed a hand to her hormone-engorged breasts and let out a sighing laugh. 'Oh Lex I'm so glad you brought that up instead of me after what that bitch Theresa did to you. Who are you going to get to fill in my very pregnant shoes?'

'I've got someone in mind and I know she'll be thrilled.'


	21. The Invitation Afternoon

Alexis arrived, as she expected, at the Ryan apartment before the men did and she was thrilled to see Dell and Mallory there, playing cards in the living room. Those kids loved to play games like that, she thought briefly, as Honey-Milk welcomed her in and the kids almost bowled her over in excitement.

'Hi Alexis! Oh, are you getting so excited for the wedding?' Dell looked up at her in shining-eyed excitement. 'You are going to look so beautiful, just like a princess, and you will have such pretty flowers and music! I'm going to dance with my Tessi all night!'

'Hi Alessis!' Mallory smiled, getting her own hugs in. 'You comin'-a do cuh-rafts wit' Mama today?'

'Something like that. Your daddy said all the men in the wedding party could come over here to help us make the invitations,' she replied, looking over at Honey-Milk who had already put out two plates of some kind of lunch dish for the children on the table.

'Okay you guys, it's lunch time before Daddy's guests arrive, so go wash up.'

'Wha' we havin', Mama?' Mallory inquired, holding Alexis' hand as she walked over, effectively taking her along.

'You are having leftover stir-fry from last night, and some of the rice you like, Mally.'

'No amimals fo' me?'

'Not today.'

'Come on, veggie-saurus.' Dell pried his sister away. 'We gotta wash our hands.'

'Mallory's decided she wants to be a vegetarian like her daddy,' Honey-Milk informed the bride, passing her a cold drink. 'It's caused more than a few headaches at the dinner table.'

'I can imagine.'

'I think she's a little too sensitive yet to handle it. She burst into tears when we had pork chops and eggplant this week because she'd been watching _Babe_ at the hospital preschool that afternoon and said she didn't want to eat Babe.'

'Oh, poor girl.'

Honey-Milk nodded. 'Don't even get me started on the last time we had pepperoni pizza. Now, are you hungry?'

'My hubby-to-be is bringing food with the guys.'

'Fair enough. You look a little wiped out, sweetie, why don't you go have a lie-down while I feed the monkeys?'

Alexis nodded, then shook her head. 'No, you know what, it's okay, I'll just have some coffee or juice or something.'

'Juice. Better for the body when you're fatigued.'

'Mama, since we are having carba'drates, should I do my needle before or after we eat?' Dell inquired as he and his sister came to the table.

'After, sweetie, you know what happens if you do it before.'

'He go 'nanas,' Mallory explained to Alexis, sitting at her spot in the booster seat and smartly snapping her folded napkin loose. She picked up her fork but before she could dig in, Dell grabbed her wrist.

'What are you forgetting, Marsh-Mally?'

'We gotta say gassy?'

'That's right.'

Alexis watched, charmed and fascinated as the little ones put their hands together and Dell speed his way through the prayer they said every day before snack time and lunch at Saint-Bart's.

'We thank the Lord for this plateful, may we always stay forever thankful. Amen.'

' 'Men,' Mallory echoed then scooped up rice and veggies. 'Mm-mm, no amimal veggies yummy.'

'Mallory Agatha,' Honey-Milk said in a warning tone, then looked up when the door to the apartment opened and her husband along with the rest of the wedding party minus Dave came in, each of them carrying a paper sack of takeout, making her eyes pop. 'Kevin, sweetie-pie, did you guys think we were needing food for the rest of the week or what?'

'Half of this is supplies for invitations, the other half is food. Also, Dave had to bail, he's on call and he was summoned.'

'Daddy are we allowed to help or is it a grown up project?' Dell asked, scraping his fork around the side of his plate.

'It's a grown up project Dell, besides, if we're planning to go to the movies tonight, you and Mally both need naps,' Ryan replied.

'I wanna go! I goo'!' Mallory piped up with a mouthful of rice. She swallowed then looked her father directly in the eye. 'Poppa-corn no have amimals, righ'?'

'No, it doesn't Marsh-Mally,' Esposito told sympathetically, catching Dell's eyeroll. He could definitely appreciate his frustration. 'Just butter but the cows aren't hurt when you make butter.'

'Tha' goo'. All done, Mama! Now nap time?'

'Yep, put your plate on the counter. You done Dell?'

'Uh-huh, time for my needles and then a snooze-a-roo. That's a word Tessi taught me,' the boy said with a little blush as he looked over at Esposito. 'She says 'noozey-roo, because she's still learning all of her syllables, but that's okay, she's still very smart.'

'I 'mart too!' Mallory retorted indignantly, then softened. 'Dell, I help wit' nee-nills?'

'Yes, Mally, you can help me today.'

'Whee!'

Dell shoveled in the last of his lunch, then took his plate to the sink before helping Mallory out of her booster seat and wandering over to his room with her, Honey-Milk following them out while the others unpacked their lunch.

'Those are some very sweet kids,' Body complimented Ryan. 'They listen well. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen parents so wormy-spined at the bakery they let their kids run rough-shod over them.'

'They are my angels,' Ryan agreed, taking out boxed sandwiches from Gennaro's and looking over as Esposito and Dave began unpacking the stationary supplies. 'Is there going to be enough space there?'

'Yeah, that's plenty of space,' Honey-Milk said, coming out of Dell's room where she'd tucked in her children for a nap; Mallory insisted on staying with her brother to make sure he was going 'nanas'. 'We'll make it like a little assembly line.'

'You have the con, Nurse Ryan,' Dave informed her, snagging a veggie chip from the side-dish box. 'We are at your mercy to help out our favourite soon-to-be married couple.'

'Aw Dave,' Alexis teased him.

'So, here's what we'll do.' Honey-Milk sized up her troops like she was doing pre-round meetings at the hospital. 'Body, you start with the bottom piece, the darkest purple stock-card, glue on the light purple for the invite. Shane same thing for the RSVP cards. Kevin you get to tie on the purple and silver joining ribbons and Esposito, you check the envelopes and seal them with the little self-sticking wax seals. Alexis and I will do the printing on the envelopes and double check the names on the guest list.'

'Man, you would have made a great cop, Jenny,' Body commented as he shook pepper over his sandwich.

'Thank you, but I'll stick to bossing around the little humans under the weather. Now, who's hungry?'

The group took their sandwiches into the living room, and Alexis had to grin at the group of men as they talked about getting ready for their own weddings, even Body who had had a commitment ceremony with Faisal shortly after Alexis had had her miscarriage. Here were some of the butchest, most manly men she knew - two cops, a professional chef and a pathologist, all spending one of their precious free days off to help them with something as frou-frou as wedding invitations.

'Hey, I had an idea,' Esposito piped up, polishing off the last of his smoked beef on rye. 'What if we put in a little bit of paper doused with essential oils so that when the guest opens it up, they get a nice blast of flower power.'

'Where'd you get that idea?' Ryan asked.

'Oh, is it like that thing where you put your scarves or linens in a box with a perfume card so they smell good?' Alexis inquired. 'I do that for Shane when I know I won't be able to make a trip home when he's got time off.'

'Meredeth does the same thing with her scarves,' Esposito chimed in, as they all began to assemble their supplies. 'I love it when we go to a hockey game and I can smell her perfume on her.'

'That's very sweet,' Alexis started, then shut her mouth when he added, 'Makes me want to get her home, get her in bed so she's wearing nothing but perfume.'

'And we're back.'

'Faisal always has this great earth smell to him,' Body commented dreamily, 'but he says I always smell like home because I come home with flour in my hair and sugar under my fingernails.'

'How did you two meet?' Ryan asked, taking the first of the two-piece invitations he was passed to tie the matching-coloured ribbon through the decorative punched holes.

'Catering job. His art store was hosting a 'Meet the Artist' night and we looked after the reception. We got to talking, hit it off and here we are, six years later and happy as ever.' Body paused, then gave a little laugh. 'And six years later, he still steals my soap if he runs out.'

'Reminds me of the time Espo accidentally borrowed Mere's shaving cream for his face.'

Shane burst out laughing. 'He did what?'

As Ryan recounted the tale of his partner's embarassment and Alexis and Honey-Milk filled out the front of the envelopes for the invitations, the bride leaned over and whispered to Honey-Milk, 'Is this how they always are when they get together?'

'Believe it or not, yes.'

'Really?'

'Really, really,' Honey-Milk laughed. 'Just wait until you get pregnant and it sticks. You've never seen a bigger bunch of softies in your life.'


	22. The Maid of Honour Booster

With their afternoon pharmacology lecture done and night of exam note preparation ahead of her, Alexis had invited her friend Lindsay over to compile their notes so they would try and save some of their brain cells for retention and not reiteration. She was packing up her laptop when Lindsay Sabern elbowed her way through the exit-crowd of the lecture hall. 'Lex!'

'Hey Linds, we're still on for tonight?'

'You bet, and I'll bring stuff for dinner from Rosen's Hot Deli so we don't have to worry about stopping to cook dinner.'

Alexis nodded at Lindsay, then snapped her fingers in remembrance. 'I hope this is okay but my maid of honour is coming down with her baby for a little visit, they'll be working in the living room while we're doing our thing at the kitchen table. That okay with you?'

'How old is the baby? Should I be worried about a wailing infant?'

'Oh, no, she's a toddler.'

'Okay. That I can handle.'

'Perfect, we'll see you around five.'

Alexis packed up her things, and since luck was on her side as she left the lecture hall, caught her bus to her street in a matter of minutes rather than waiting around for another fifteen. It was going to be a fun to have a house-guest, she thought, as Shane and Beckett were the only people who really came down to visit her.

She headed upstairs to her flat, opened the door to the sound of bright and sunny female voices singing along with something on the television screen.

'That's right clap your hands, just like that, sweetie!'

'Cap, cap, cap. I cappin' Mama!'

'You sure are baby!'

'There's my favourite redheads!' Alexis greeted them, and Andrea and Nessa both glanced her way as she set down her bags and her keys. Nessa popped up to her feet and scampered over, hands flapping in delight.

'Hi Less! Hi Less! Singin'!'

'I can hear that and you sound lovely. Oh, you're getting too big.' She feigned a groan as she picked Nessa up, settled her on her hip and the little girl cuddled close.

'Miss you.'

'Aw, I miss you too, sweetie.'

'Nana yum-yum.'

'My mother's been spoiling someone rotten with homemade treats,' Andrea said, getting up to greet Alexis. 'Nessa loves bragging about it. Okay, miss bouncy, Alexis is home, now it's nap time.'

'O-kay, Mama.' Nessa nodded solemnly with a smile. 'I goo', I lissen. See soo' Less.'

She pecked Alexis' cheek and sauntered off into Alexis' roommate's room - the girl was away more than she wasn't, but she knew Alexis often had visitors so always left her bedroom at their disposal. A few minutes later, Andrea was popping back out and grinning at Alexis.

'She wanted to see you before she had her nap. Of course now she's out like a light from all that waiting up. So.' Andrea stuffed her hands in her pockets looked around. 'Why don't I take a look at everything you and Shane have been putting together in the wedding binder and we will start making an action plan?'

'That sounds good.'

Alexis disappeared, found the binder Shane had given her over a year ago; it felt like ages since he'd jokingly shown her the picture of the yacht for the reception venue. But more importantly now, she had a wonderful blessing in whom she'd chosen to fill the role as maid of honour.

If anyone understood what it was to be stressed out over planning a wedding in a short amount of time, and had done it without cracking up, it was Andrea Brick.

'Here we are.' She handed over the binder to Andrea. 'Everything's in there, brochures, receipts for purchases and deposits, finalized arrangements and menus.'

'Excellent. You're sure you're cool with me doing this?'

'Andrea, part of the reason I asked you to do this is because you are smart and organized and know the pressure I've been under lately.'

'That I do,' Andrea agreed, took the binder to the living room. 'What time is your friend getting here to study?'

'Around five. Right now I need a nap just like Nessa. I know I need to study but I need sleep more right now.'

'Fair enough. I'll wake you around four-thirty if you're not already up.'

Alexis nodded her gratitude, then headed to her room where she stripped off her professional attire required to be worn at pharma-lectures so she was in her underthings and flopped face down on the bed. IT felt so nice to sprawl, even as she twisted to her side and decided that it would be much more comfy to sleep like that. Reaching over, she popped her iPod in the cute little radio-dock and turned on an audiobook of _Lord of the Rings_; she was asleep before the Hobbits left the Shire.

As promised, Andrea woke her in time for Alexis to freshen up before Lindsay arrived, and as promised Lindsay brought dinner from Rosen's Hot Deli - rotisserie chicken, fresh challah, vinegar coleslaw and steamed asparagus with an assortment of two-bite cupcakes for dessert. They decided to eat first and then crack down on notes. Every so often, as they worked away, Nessa would wander over and ask them what they were doing, to which Lindsay or Alexis would politely reply they were studying for a test. Nessa, having spent time around Dell and Carey, understood this was very important so she would toddle back to the living room and play with her crayons while Andrea kept an eye on her simultaneous to consolidating tasks that had already been accomplished.

By eleven, Nessa was tucked into bed, Lindsay had taken a late bus home and Alexis was ready for a break. Going to her fridge, she found the bottle of wine and poured Andrea a glass, decided on a club soda and cranberry juice for herself; she took them over to the living room and dropped into her armchair with an exaggerated sigh.

'Oh God will I be glad when this exam is a memory.'

'Bad one?'

'Pharmacology.'

'Yeah, I remember pharmacology from university well.' Andrea sipped her wine, set her glass down. 'You ready to talk wedding, take a break?'

'In a few, I'm just savouring the peacefulness.'

'Okay, when you're ready.'

Alexis closed her eyes, let her head loll to the side. The weight of a long day was slipping away and she just wanted to crawl into a hole and spend a frozen century there so she could sleep for a few decades. But when her hand holding her drink started to droop, Andrea reached over and set it on the table.

'Come on, big girl, we'll have a snuggle and talk wedding in bed. Come on, Alexis.'

Andrea tugged her girl to her feet, steered her towards her bedroom, doubling back to bolt and chain the door. When she returned, she saw Alexis had grabbed her beloved stuffed giraffe and had him tucked under her arm with an iron grip. Andrea hopped in beside her friend, moving closer so that Andrea barely had to reach out if he wanted to tap her nose cutely.

'Andrea?' Alexis asked sleepily. 'Am I crazy for doing this?'

'Doing what?'

'Having a wedding so close to the end of classes?'

'No, I don't think so,' Andrea reassured her with a stroke of the hand over her shoulder. 'I think anyone who was truly happy about getting married always finds a way to make it work as a team.'

'I had a dream I was eating garlic bulbs like they were apples, and telling the rest of the bridesmaids they looked so pretty while I had garlic juice all over me.'

'Alexis, having dreams and doubts is part of being a bride. You want the day for you and Shane to go off without a hitch except the...well, you know actual getting hitched,' she continued. 'And there will always be part of you that wishes the DJ had played this song or that centrepiece should be sold to charity, but you will learn to put those naysayers out of your mind.'

'Okay,' Alexis mumbled happily. 'Now let's talk wedding.'

'Sounds good.'

'The bachelorette party I want to be a total blowout. Non-stop drinks and dirty stories and dancing. Sloan has to come, no matter how stubborn she is, but she will probably not be able to drink because she'll be breastfeeding.'

'It's okay, I'll talk to her about it.' Having had a baby herself, Andrea knew there were ways to work around that. 'Are you thinking on a theme?'

'I want to be surprised so if we're going out, not really but if it's a house party like at Lanie's or Meredeth's or something, then tiki-island. I had such a blast when Shane and I went to Antigua with you and Daniel.'

'Done. What else?'

'The rehearsal dinner. It has to be a few days before the ceremony, not the night before like the other ones. We might not have a rabbi but we're doing it as traditionally Jewish as possible. That means we can't see each other for three days between the rehearsal and the ceremony.'

'Look at you, getting your Jewish on,' Andrea teased her and Alexis laughed sleepily.

'I had a couple hours before pharmacology where I just couldn't take any more nonsense on tetracycline antibiotics, so I started Googling 'Jewish wedding traditions.'

'Shane's a lucky man.'

'And next Friday is Passover dinner. Shane has to tell his parents we can't find a rabbi. Man, this is not going to go well.'

Andrea reached out, rubbed her friend's arm. 'It'll work out, sweetie. Not to worry.'


	23. The Groom's Parental Arrival

From the moment he woke up on Friday morning, Shane was a nervous wreck. Not only did he have to miss meeting Alexis at Penn Station because when her train arrived was when his parents flight would be landing from Amsterdam. THe excitement of seeing his parents together was being outweighed by his own guilt.

He suddenly had a new sympathy for Theresa.

God, he wished he'd had the night shift, a nice autopsy to occupy him or some tissue sample tests to run. That would have been amazingly helpful to his current state of mind. But the best he could do was look around his house and make sure it was clean enough since he'd be welcome his parents there for a pre-dinner drink with Alexis after they'd checked their luggage into the hotel and prior to dinner at the loft.

Pressing a hand to his stomach, where Shane felt his lower digestion revolting against him from the stress, he started in his room and began to walk through. It was spotless, top to bottom. He'd had manic energy after his shift was done the previous day and scrubbed the entire place down with lemon Pledge, Febreeze and every other household cleaner he could think of. After, of course, he'd ditched every last piece of bread in his house. His father would lose his shit everywhere if he found so much as a soda-cracker in Shane's cupboards; it was both of Chaim's parents who'd survived the Shoah and it would have been down right disrepectful to dishonour them.

When he was certain the apartment hadn't been invaded by overnight yeast-spewing dust-bunnies while he'd slept Shane jumped into the shower, trying to use Alexis' trick of letting the water wash away his anxiety but it was not possible - he was going to ruin Passover for his parents, and that was just going to suck all around.

He spent the day playing video games - Lego _Pirates of the Caribbean _so he could try and kick Alexis' ass that night after the seder was finished, and _Havanna Hellcats_ which he'd become addicted to after playing it with Javier Esposito - and downing can after can of club soda so the bubbles would try and soothe his insides without getting a sugar-caffeine headache. Finally when it was almost two in the afternoon and time to head to the airport. He checked the flight number and time one final time, then headed downstairs to his rental car - an Aston Martin Rapide, as his mother liked luxury cars and and his father refused to ride in anything German or Japanese made.

An hour and a half later he was waiting impatiently at the Arrivals terminal of LaGuardia, jingling loose change in his pocket, and felt the inherent smile cross his face when he saw his parents come through the sliding smoked-glass doors. For a moment he let himself just watch them walk arm in arm down the ramp - Chaim, quirky and funny, Shir sleek and professional and yet somehow they fit together as easily as milk and cookies.

'Mama! Papa!' he called out to them and both looked over to see their son waving happily at them.

Shir reached her son first and wrapped her arms around him. 'Oh, Scheine, it is so good to see you! My boy, getting married!'

'Mama,' Shane replied with a blush in his cheeks.

'Where is your _shani_?' Chaim looked around, confused. 'She is not here? Studying hard?'

'No, her earliest train to catch before the seder tonight is arriving...' Shane looked at his watch; he'd worn the Rolex his father the watchmaker had given him for his medical school graduation. 'Right now, actually, at Penn Station.'

'Then we must hurry, we can't let her think you are an unloving husband,' Shir insisted, poking boy in the ribs. 'Text her, tell her we will meet her there.'

'Mama, she'd be waiting almost forty minutes for us.'

'Scheine you heard your mother, send our shiksa _shani_ almost daughter-by-law a text message.'

Shane laughed, shook his head as he took out his phone to get in touch with Alexis - _hey sweetie, just met Mama and Papa at the airport, you home or at the station?_

_In a cab and almost home_ was the reply he got a few minutes later, which he showed to Shir and Chaim. 'See? She's almost home already. We're going to drop off your luggage at the hotel and then we're having a drink at our place, and then we're going to Alexis' parents' house for the seder.'

'To the Castles?' Shir looked impressed. 'That's...daring.'

'They're the sort of people who always feel a little more comfortable with new things if there's a dinner involved. They bond while they nosh.' Shane grinned. 'And you'll get to meet RJ, Papa.'

'Oh yes, the little rascal I met when I was in New York for the Levertow situation.'

Shane cracked his neck; it was one of his mother's more infuriating traits that she was able to refer to one of the blackest periods of Shane's adult life as a 'situation'. 'Well, he's got a little sister now, Jojo, she was just born on New Year's Day.'

'Yes I remember that from your electronic mail,' Chaim laughed. 'He is quite a little character isn't he?'

'Oh, Papa, you don't know the half of it.'

* * *

><p>Alexis brushed nervously at the front of her black dress along with the simple single pearl on its sterling silver chain. She hoped she didn't look like she was going overboard but it would be the first time she was seeing Chaim and Shir together and it was an important holiday for her almost-husband so she was going to do it as best as she could.<p>

When she heard the tumblers of the lock turn and click, she added the little white-lace head covering, then yanked it off at the last moment as she went out to the living. Her fears were abated somewhat when she saw the grin on Chaim's faces.

'There is she!' he crowed, holding out his arms for a hug and wasn't disappointed. He held her face in his strong hands, looked her in the eye. 'My Scheine is taking care of you?'

'Very good care, he visits me at school as much as he can.'

'Not shirking work, of course,' Shir inquired and Shane nodded.

'Of course not, Mama.'

'Would you like some wine?' Alexis moved nervously into the kitchen, hand on the refrigerator door. 'There's a lovely chardonnay in the fridge or I have some beaujolais breathing over here as well.'

'I'll take the white, Shir will have red,' Chaim informed her, inspecting the wall of framed photographs by the television's armoire. 'When did you and Alexis go scuba diving?'

'About a year ago, Papa,' Shane replied. 'Just after Alexis was in the hospital, remember? We called you to say Happy New Year's from the island of Antigua.'

'Yes that's right you did. Thank you Alexis.' Shir accepted the glass of wine the young woman poured for her, saw the movements were jerky and skittish. 'We're not going to bite you, my dear.'

'I know, I know, I just...' Alexis scratched her head. 'I want to make sure I do this right. It's the first time I've done Passover with Shane.'

'The first time?' Chaim straightened, looked at her with confusion. 'That seems unusual for you, _shani_.'

'Well when we first started dating I was in England for the first one, and the last two I was unable to make it home because of studying for midterms. Thankfully this year my schedule allowed it and if it hadn't-'

'No. Nothing must stand in the way of studying. You want to be a doctor, you cannot flake away.'

'Are you going to be doing pathology like Scheine?' Shir asked, taking Chaim's hand in hers when he sat down beside her. 'Or do you prefer the living?'

'I'm working towards being a psychiatrist, with a focus on working with teens and juveniles in the criminal system.'

'Ah, so let us propose, then, a young man stole a car and was...um...what is the English, Shir?'

'Jailed?' Shir offered.

'Yes, thank you, jailed, and he is required for counseling. You would want to be that doctor who helped him?'

'Absolutely. I think there is much to be learned about our criminal justice system by looking at its youngest demographic,' Alexis replied proudly. 'I want to write books and papers on the subject, show future counselors how to reach them.'

'So you are like your father and your mother,' Shir said with a smile. 'A writer and a member of the justice system. That is a good honour to them both.'

The word 'honour' nearly had Shane throwing up; how was he going to do it? He was, in the most literal sense of the term, fucked. He just couldn't live with himself anymore, not with what felt like he was stringing them along. 'Actually Mama, Papa, there is something we need to tell you that is pretty important-'

'Yes, yes there is,' Alexis jumped in, shooting Shane a warning look. 'I, ah, turned down an offer to work in a pilot project here in New York once I'd finished my degree.'

Chaim looked astounded. 'Whatever for?'

'I would have been working on the research end of the project, collecting and compiling data for statistics and that kind of thing.'

'Oh, yes, that would be a total waste of your talents,' he agreed. 'You're talented you'll find your place.'

Shane smiled, then looked at his wife-to-be. He knew that look on her face and knew she had something up her sleeve. The question was, what kind of egg was she sitting on?


	24. The Passover Rescue

The moment Shane had a moment alone with Alexis, which came when Alexis was helping him fix his red and white yarmulke to his hair, he turned around and looked her dead in the eye.

'Lex, I have to tell them.'

'Just take a leap of faith and trust me.' Alexis put her hand on her fiance's cheek. 'Okay?'

Shane nodded, mulled it over the entire car ride to the Castle home; thankfully his parents didn't press him too much on his silence as they were more interested in asking Alexis what she knew about the ritual of the Passover seder. By the time they reached the front door of the loft, he could feel himself sunk into a hole of a mood he hoped wouldn't last the whole night.

He knocked on the door and was impressed when he saw Castle wearing a rather snappy looking yarmulke on his dark hair. He offered a trademark charming smile, the same one he'd passed on to RJ, as he held out his hand to welcome Chaim and Shir.

'Shalom, lovely to see you again, Shir,' he greeted them.

'And you as well Richard, under much happier circumstances,' Shir replied.

'May I take your coats?'

Shane stepped into the loft, and took his first easy breath when he heard the sound of little pounding feet running towards him. He looked around to see RJ hurtling towards him, arms outstretched in anticipation of a hug.

'Shane! You here!'

'There's my main man!' Shane bent down to scoop the boy up, squeezed him tight. 'How's it going, little bro?'

'I washin' toons! Wanna wash too?'

'In a few minutes. You remember my mama?'

He turned so RJ could see Shir and the toddler nodded in understanding; he had a mind like crow, and was excellent at remembering details for such a young age. 'You Shane mumum,' he declared and held out a little hand. 'Hi-hi, I Ah-Shay.'

'Yes, RJ, I remember you. Can you say shalom?'

'Shom.'

'That's a very good try.'

'Why say 'shom'?' RJ asked, curious as ever, unaware that his father and sister were watching with just as much excitement as the Weavers.

'That's how we say hello in Israel, where I'm from.'

'Oh. Shom, Shane mumum.'

Shir cracked up, then tugged on Chaim's arm. 'Chaim, you must meet this charming young man. This is Alexis' little brother RJ. RJ, this is Shane's father Chaim.'

'Shom Shane daddy,' RJ said politely and Chaim shared his wife's amusement, letting out a loud cheerful laugh.

'Shalom to you too RJ. Are you excited for the seder tonight?'

'I getta ask a question. Shane say I 'mall so I ask it. Sho-sho 'mall too,' he continued, thrilled to have such an enrapture audience while he spoke, 'but she no' have a vo-ba-ba-lee. Shane?'

'Yes RJ.'

'Mumum say you gotta give Sho-sho her bot-tle.'

'Okay, then, let's go find your mumum and we'll get Miss Jojo fed.'

Alexis watched two of her favourite boys wander off and looked at her dad, gave him a smile. When he gave her a little wink back, she knew it was going to be just fine. 'I feel I should warn the two of you, RJ asks about a million questions, he's at that age of inquisition where he wants to know about everything.'

'I hope he never loses it,' Shir smiled. 'He's quite a little character and very articulate.'

'His mother and I read to him every day, sometimes two or three stories a day,' Castle replied, showing them into the kitchen. 'Can I offer you a drink, or should we be starting on the ceremony first?'

'A drink would be lovely, white wine if you have it,' Chaim replied, giving the man the once over. His son and this man were probably closer in age than Shane and Alexis, but then, there was a significant age gap between himself and his precious Shir so that didn't mean a whole lot to him. It was the pure love he saw between his son and this young woman that matter; there was also the wonderful affection between his son and the other little one who chattered like a parrot on speed.

When Chaim felt a little pat on his leg, he looked down and saw it was RJ there, blue eyes shining questioningly. 'Misser Weaver? I haffa question.'

'Do you now?'

'Uh-huh. How come you an' Shane mumum soun' diff-en'?'

'Oh, that's because I'm from Amsterdam.'

'Where Am'erdam?' RJ asked politely. 'Fa' 'way?'

'It's across the ocean, in a country called the Netherlands. It's where Shane was born.'

'I f'om here. Sho-sho too. But my Tah-rini, her daddy Poh-tah Wee-can an' her mumum Da-nish.'

'One of my friends, Javier Esposito, his youngest daughter Trini is RJ girlfriend,' Castle explained to Chaim, passing him the glass of chardonnay, then heard aloud 'ahem, Daddy!' from his son. 'Pardon me, not his girlfriend, his sweetheart.'

'Sacky, Tah-rini my see-hot. An' Shane mumum you' see-hot. Sho-sho!'

Everyone looked over to see Beckett coming down the stairs with the giggling and squirming Jojo in her arms. The baby was so big, she was already four months old; she still had the deep-coloured sea-goddess eyes like her mother but her hair had lost some of its auburn tinge so it matched RJ's in colour now as well. She was grinning and cooing away as they approached the group and Alexis held out her hands.

'Come here, my little pumpkin, don't you look so cute in your dress!' she sighed, taking the baby into her arms where Jojo went right for Alexis' straightened hair. 'Yeah, you like playing with that stuff, huh?

'Blb,' Jojo replied, giving it a testing yank that Alexis barely felt. 'Blb.'

'Shane daddy, Shane mumum, this my Sho-sho, she my sisser,' RJ said proudly. 'I have big sisser Alessis and lit-tle sisser Sho-sho. They bes' sissers ev-ah. I help Mumum lossa wit' my Sho-sho.'

'I'm sure you do,' Shir agreed, then looked over at Beckett. 'Lovely to see you again, Detective.'

'Oh, please tonight it's just Kate. Well, let's just put little miss in her high-chair and we can get started, I know we're all anxious to see how things work. None of us have done Passover yet.'

'Yes, Alexis mentioned that,' Chaim commented, 'but studies must come first. She's going to be an excellent doctor.'

'Mumum I wear my 'pishal hat?' RJ asked and Beckett produced the child-sized yarmulke from her back-pocket as everyone took their place around the table that had been laid in the instructions that Shane had forwarded to Castle.

Beckett handed her son the yarmulke he'd picked out with Shane and slipped the little elastic strap over his chin; RJ's hair wasn't long enough for it to have the usual pins holding it in place. 'Right here.'

They gathered around the table with Chaim leading the ritual. The candles were lit, the sacred words spoken and as the rites proceeded, Shane took his fiancee's hand in his and squeezed it tightly. She still couldn't truly understand the importance of this moment to him and his family, that they were so open and welcoming to his traditions.

Everyone had a good giggle when RJ asked the traditional four questions with his own RJ-flavour and including Jojo in the final prayer by taking a little dab of his grape juice while the adults drank wine and dabbing it on her lips. 'It a 'pishal time,' he decided, 'she big 'nough fo' a sippy-sip.'

When the time finally came for dinner, they dug into a delicious meal of fish and vegetables and unleavened breads and cheeses, everyone scarfing it down like it might runaway.

'Scheine, you haven't mentioned much of the wedding planning yet today,' Chaim commented and Shane felt the vinegar from his coleslaw curdle in his stomach.

'Well, we've had a couple of snags.'

'Oh, which reminds me.' Castle jumped in, waved his fork delicately. He knew the absolute hell Shane had been living with trying to get up his courage to tell his parents about the problems finding an officiant for the ceremony. 'I talked to Judge Markaway at my last poker game, he's expecting you two on the morning of the sixteen in his chambers. Something about a meeting with his rabbi?'

Shane felt Alexis' hand grip his thigh tightly in excitement. 'Oh really?'

'Yeah, I told him about the problems you'd been having trying to find someone after...a few tries,' he amended, remembering not to discuss a dead person during the meal, 'so he said he'd speak to the guy at his temple and both of them are expecting you at eight am.'

'Thank you,' Shane said to Castle with such profound gratitude he was nearly ready to weep into his dinner.

'There, you see Scheine,' Shir told her son as she reached for the bowl of potatoes, 'you were so worried you wouldn't find someone. You worry too much.'

'This coming from a Jewish mother,' Beckett teased her, making the woman blush and Chaim laugh, then studied RJ who was looking up and down the table.

'What are you looking for, RJ?'

'I wan' sah-mo' fish, puh-lease. It way yummy.'

'You can, but you might not have room for cake,' Beckett reminded him. 'Remember we made that cake with the apples?'

'Oh yeah!' RJ looked at Chaim, smiled. 'I make-a cake wit' Mumum fo' 'pishal suppah.'

'Well, then I'll have to try some.'

The little boy beamed and leaned over, gave Alexis a poke in the shoulder. 'I like him. He fun.'


	25. The Loving Relief

When the wine and cake of the night were done, Chaim and Shir were dropped off at their hotel; the minute Shane saw them go inside, he turned to Alexis and pulled her close by her coat lapels in the car. His mouth was hot and hungry on hers, desperate with gratitude for her.

'Alexis, I love you, I love you so much, my sweet.'

'I love you too.' Alexis grinned at him. 'Dad texted me just before you did when I was getting off the train and I figured it would go more smoothly to let him bring it up than one of us.'

'You figured right. Now we are going home.'

'Well, duh.'

'No, I mean...' Shane trailed off as he pulled in once more for a kiss, this time his tongue parting her lips and finding hers. 'We are going home.'

'Oh. Okay.' Alexis arched her eyebrow, gave him a look. 'How many times you think we'll go home?'

'As many as it takes.'

* * *

><p>They barely made it through the door of their apartment before they were all over each other. Shoes and coats and clothes flew as they stayed glued at the mouth so they were half naked by the time they made it to his bedroom, where they tumbled onto the bed in the dark room, and sank into each other. Alexis felt her man's hands move roughly over her body, tugging on her panties, her stockings all the while keeping his lips at a bruising rate on her mouth.<p>

'Shane,' she managed to get out, 'do we have any condoms left?'

He paused, unsure of how he did so. 'No. Fuck, I forgot we used our last one.'

'It's okay.'

'Seriously?'

Alexis nodded. 'Seriously.'

It was all that needed to be said, as he latched onto her mouth once again, fighting with the snap of her bra and yanking straps downs her arms tossing it aside. Her own hands were busy shoving at him, pushing and pulling his skin as Shane trailed kisses over her throat, her collarbone; Alexis hands found their way to his hips, shoved his boxers down and he kicked them free to be naked as she was. When he came back to her, he hardened the rest of the way to full flight when he felt the damp between her thighs, that slick, warm welcome that was all woman and all Alexis.

Knowing this wasn't the night for tender pledges of his love for her, he took the heated peak of her breast into his mouth, sucking and teasing her as she cried out his name. He nearly shot her over the edge when he flicked his tongue over her rock hard nipple and the damp cradle where his was positioned was full-on wet.

'You're so wet,' he murmured against her skin. 'It's so fucking hot.'

He moved his hand from her breast down to stroke between her thighs, and was reward when he heard her strangled cry of pleasure. He slipped one finger, then two inside that tight vault, drew them in and out slowly, knowing the laguid pace would drive her even more crazy for him.

Alexis couldn't think; she doubted she could even see anymore. It was too much and not enough at the same time. Before she even knew where they came from, the words were tumblig nout of her. 'Shane,' she whispered, 'fuck me, please, I want you inside me so badly, baby.'

'How?' he demanded in the same breathy voice as he continued to fondle her. 'From behind or on your back?'

'Behind.'

Shane said nothing, just slipped his finger out of her so Alexis could roll to her stomach, and God help him, onto her elbows and knees, chest heaving as she waiting for him. He pulled her hips close to his and drove himself inside her roughly, making her cry out. Again, to his dark delight, she didn't resist his lack of finesse but instead panted for more.

'Again,' she moaned, crying out when he thrust into her. 'Hard and fast.'

Shane took her at her word and gave them both exactly what they wanted - good, hard sweaty fucking. It couldn't be called sex, certainly not making love, just two people in touch with their inner animals so hot for each other they would explode from the torture of control. His hips were moving like lightening against hers, and when she all but screamed that she was coming, Shane knew he had no choice but to follow her and spill himself inside her.

They collapsed on the bed, out of breath like they'd run a marathon. Alexis felt the smug satisfaction of good, rough sex creep over her face, and she laughed a little.

'Do you know how long I've been waiting to do that with you?' she asked.

'All day?'

'All week, actually.'

'Nice.'

Alexis rolled to her side, brushed the long bangs of Shane's hair out of his face. 'Was that because my father found us a rabbi or because it meant you didn't have to break your parents' hearts?'

'A little of both but mostly, I wanted my fiancee in bed begging for me to do her.'

'Naughty.'

'And you love me for it,' Shane reminded her rubbing his hand over her cheek as he kissed her swollen lips. 'Was I...I didn't hurt you, did I? It's been awhile since we've been that rough with each other.'

'I know, and no, you didn't. Let's not just make a habit of the no condom thing.'

'I agree. I'll pick more up tomorrow after work.'

'I'm hungry again,' Alexis laughed suddenly, rubbing her hand over her stomach. 'What is there in the house here to eat?'

'No bread, sweetie. Unless you have a recipe for unleavened waffles or something.'

'I know a recipe for crepes, but I'm too tired for taht right now. You wore me out, baby, in the best possible way.'

'Now that's quite the stroke to a man's ego,' Shane laughed, gave Alexis' bottom an affectionate squeeze. 'How about we have vegetable soup and cheese omelettes?'

'Oh, heaven on a plate after all that disgusting Passover food. The last few years, I've gone to temple for Passover seder which goes a lot more quickly, or at least it did, with Rabbi Gerhsowitz.'

'Well, it looks like we're going to meet with Markaway's guy on Monday so that will be helpful.'

'Don't you have classes?'

Alexis smiled. 'I spoke to my professors, told them I had to go home for my fiance's very traditional Jewish Passover celebration, so I'm good until Monday night.'

'Now I really love you.'

* * *

><p>On Monday morning, Alexis and Shane found themselves sitting in Judge Isaac Markaway's chambers at the courthouse, waiting for the judge to come in. They had no idea how Castle had roped the man into doing this for them but nonetheless, they were very grateful.<p>

The door behind them opened and Markaway stepped in with a beefy man who looked more like a boxer than a religious leader. His skin was olive-toned and his head was bald as a Crenshaw melon, but it was in the eyes, as it had been with Frankel that told Shane everything he needed to know.

'Alexis, Shane, good to see you.' Markaway shook their hands warmly, setting his briefcase down by his desk. 'I'd like to introduce you to Rabbi Noah Oliver. Noah, this is Alexis Castle and Shane Weaver.'

'Richard Castle's little girl?' Noah smiled broadly. 'So those are the strings you had pulled.'

'Sir, if you're not comfortable with doing the ceremony for us,' Shane began, despair creeping into his gut; it disappeared as quickly as it appeared when Noah waved him off with a dinner-plate sized hand.

'Nonsense, Shane. I knew Rory Gershowitz, we studied at the same college, and I kow he would be very dishonoured if I refused you two.' Noah sat down, put on reading spectacles and pulled out a yellow legal pad. 'Now were you planning an interfaith ceremony or strictly Jewish?'

'Jewish only,' Alexis replied, looking at Shane. 'It's an old family promise.'

'Okay. Alexis, how familiar are you with the parts of the ceremony?'

'Ummm...'

'It's okay to say none.'

'All I really know is you stand under a chuppah, you drink the wine and then smash the glass.'

'Okay.' Noah reached into his own bag of tricks, pulled out a few brochures. 'This is some literature to check out, and there are some very helpful websites on there as well. What is the date of the ceremony?'

'July the eighth, the ceremony and the reception are at the DeHeere Towers.'

'Wonderful. Outdoor or indoor?'

'Ceremony is outside, dinner and reception is inside.'

'Perfect.' Noah made notes with a furious scribble, then looked up. 'How many in the wedding party?'

'Including us, there is eleven.'

'A good number. Any children in the ceremony?'

'My brother, RJ,' Alexis said, feeling more and more perked up by the second. 'He's three and a half, he is the ring bearer, and I think he wants our new little sister Jojo to be an honorary flower girl since she's too little. She will only be seven months when the wedding takes place.'

'Understandable. Colours?'

As they went through the routine of answering the questions to the rabbi, Shane felt not only a sense of relief at getting this important step accomplished but also a sense of giddy excitement. He'd always been excited to be married to Alexis, but now he was finally getting excited about the wedding day itself.


	26. The Fiance Insecurity

'Victim is a John Doe, approximately forty to fifty years old, no ID or other identifying marks found on the body at TOD. John Doe has been shot twice in the chest at close range and a third time from a distance of approximately ten to twelve feet.'

Shane recited his observations into his Audiovox, then picked up his scalpel, working his way down the checklist of items to be done for autopsy. An hour and forty-five minutes later, when he was ready to sew up the Y-cut and move on to the brain, he couldn't shake the rotten feeling he was forgetting something. What was it that was eating at him so?

'Doctor Weaver?'

His head snapped up and he saw one of the techs in her scrubs, looking at him with concerned eyes. 'Yes, what is it?'

'Your wife's on the phone, line three.'

'Wonderful, can you put her through?' The dismal, forgetful fog lifted slightly when he heard the tech refer to Alexis as his wife. A couple of people had started doing that since there was less than three months until the wedding and while he appreciated it, he wondered if Alexis was getting the same thing at Princeton.

The tech pushed the button for speaker phone and Shane called out, 'Hey Lex, I'm just in the middle of a PM, what's going on?'

'Where the hell are you?'

'What?'

'You were supposed to meet me here an hour ago, in New Jersey, we have an appointment to go over the paperwork I need to file at the school for my name change once we're married.'

Shane's hand froze on his skull-saw. No, no, he couldn't have done that, could he? He couldn't possibly have been that thoughtless or careless that he would completely blank on something so important. 'That's not until the twenty-eighth.'

'Hello? Tomorrow is the twenty-eighth. You said you were going to take the eight-am train to the Princeton station.'

'Oh no,' he started, but his fiancee was on a roll.

'I kept trying to call you and you weren't picking up,' Alexis fumed. 'I can't get another appointment with the dean until the eleventh of May if we miss this one. I need to file the paperwork with the school two months before the date of the wedding to ensure that my transcripts would be adjusted accordingly in time for the start of the new semester in August.'

'I'm so sorry, baby,' he pleaded. 'How can I make it up to you?'

'Get your ass down here,' she replied without hesitating. 'Do you know how much time it took me to get that appointment with him, how many favours I had to trade for it, and you blow it off like...like I'm not...oh, Shane, how could you forget?'

'I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say. I'm almost done an autopsy here and I'll be down as quickly as possible.'

'Call or text, just don't leave me hanging.'

'Of course not.'

Shane nodded at the tech to hang up and he returned to his autopsy; he'd never harvested a brain so quickly in his life and was at Penn Station getting his ticket reset for a later train less than an hour later. By noon he was in Princeton and he swallowed tightly when he saw a very pissed off Alexis standing on the platform waiting for him.

'Alexis, I am so sorry. Truly, I have no idea how else to say it.'

'Well, this isn't the first time this has happened lately, Shane, I'm worried about you.' But she pulled him in for a hug and a kiss. 'Where is your luggage?'

'Didn't bring any. Last time I stayed, I left a few things in your bureau, just in case.'

'Oh, right. Okay, let's go eat and then we'll talk it through.'

Shane nodded, and they hailed a cab to head out to a little coffee shop two blocks from Alexis' apartment. She stirred her tea listlessly as she looked at Shane's guilt ravaged face while he sipped his coffee. Part of her knew her freakout was because she was due for her period and her hormones were making her a little more touchy than usual but mostly she was worried that her future husband's brain was going a little bit goofy lately.

'Shane, is there anything going on that you need to tell me about? Money, your job, your parents?'

'No, of course not,' he replied, sincerely shocked and a little bit offended she would think that of him. 'No, just...getting old.'

'You're not old.'

'I'm older than Meredeth by three hundred and forty days.'

'Really?'

'She was born November fifth, nineteen seventy-nine. I was born November thirty nineteen seventy-eight.' Shane took one of the crayons from the cup on the table, began to doodle a series of prisms on his paper place-mat. 'I'm going to be forty one on my next birthday. Most guys my age are already married with their mid-life crisis in full swing.'

Alexis wanted to still be mad at him but when he was sitting there looking like someone had turned Chubbs into an appetizer, it was hard to do. She sipped her tea, looked at him. 'You aren't most guys, Shane. Most guys having a mid-life crisis got married way too young. And if you really want proof look at Gil Mazzara.'

'Gil? He's got the wife and kids thing already.'

'And he's over fifty,' she pointed out, which had Shane's eyes popping.

'Can't be, he looks too good.'

'Male homoerotic subtext aside, he's over fifty. He was married until he was told by his doctor he couldn't have children the day after his wife told him she was pregnant. They split up and he eventually met Robina, and he went on some kind of hormone therapy so they could have a baby. Gil was forty-six when Kelley was born.'

'So TJ he talks about...' Shane trailed off.

'Technically his step son, just like technically RJ and Jojo are my half-siblings. They're like us, they don't use those words.'

'I get what you're trying to do Lex, and it's helping but...I dont' know, I just don't want you to feel like you're walking down the street and some twerp gives you a look like, what's that sweet young thing doing with an ancient sugar daddy.'

'I think most people are going to think how lucky you are that of all the women in New York City, you're the one who scored the lovely awesome that is Alexis Castle, daughter of Richard Castle, author extraordinaire. I get my fair share of press, you know,' she teased him when he gave her a look. 'The point is, Shane, you're as old as you feel. I'm used to being the youngest and I'm okay with that.'

'I know you are. I know it also bothers you a lot when the other women are like, just you wait, honey, you have no idea what you're in for when you have babies.'

'That obvious, huh?'

Shane smiled at her, leaned back as their food was served. 'I just know you better than most, that's all.'

'We both knew when we got involved that this would be one of the hurdles we'd face. But the people who love us most have never made us feel like that's a big deal, have they?'

Shane pondered this, remembered how Esposito and Ryan had reacted. It had been more about the shock of it being Castle's daughter, not the age gap. They were the kind of men who liked to keep their friends' children as children and not think of Alexis as a grown, sexy woman who wanted to drink and party and make love with her partner the same way they did. 'Well, with a few minor exceptions, I'd have to say no.'

'See?' Alexis reached across the table, patted his hand. 'It'll be fine.'

'You're right. Of course, you're right.'

Shane was able to put it most of the way out of his mind for the remainder of the day while he helped Alexis study for an upcoming test that was giving her a bit of a headache. When they finally made it to bed, after making love gently and sweetly, to reassure each other that they would always be there for each other, whatever their ups and downs and personal insecurities.

He managed to get to sleep around one in the morning, and was awoken by a searing cramp in his back about two hours later. He tried to sit up but it was a no-go, as was rolling to his side. Reaching out his arm blindly, he batted at Alexis' hip.

'Lex,' he hissed.

'If you are that horny, go take it into your own hands, I'm sleepy,' she mumbled.

'I can't move, my back seized up.'

This new information had Alexis sitting up and looking at him with worried eyes. 'Can you move your toes and legs still?'

'Yeah, that's all fine, I just think I pinched a nerve or something.'

'Okay. Here.'

She slipped out of bed, rounded the foot to his side and gently as she could, rolled him to his stomach then disappeared to the bathroom. As Shane was ready to cry in relief at the sensation, he didn't even register Alexis had returned until she laid something hot and wet on his lower back.

'Fuck me!' he yelped, 'that's hot!'

'But is it helping?'

Shane waited a beat, felt the cramp subside. 'It is helping,' he answered. 'Alexis?'

'Yeah.'

'Thank you for not teasing me about it.'

Alexis smiled, bent to kiss his shoulder. 'Same goes, my love.'


	27. The Planning Guilt

Alexis wandered around her room as her printer spit out pages from her study notes she'd condensed down into the most important information she would need to study for her midterms. It was going to be a hellish week, no question. Pharmcology, physiology three, osteopathy, hematapathology and her clinical assessment were all on the docket and she was more than a little worried half way through at least one of those exams she was going to forget which exam she was writing and start jotting down answers for another course entirely.

Walking out of her room, she looked over to her roommate's old room. Poor girl just couldn't hack it, Alexis thought sadly, but on the plus side, it meant she now had a guest room to use on days like today when she was anticipating a few houses guests.

'Right on time,' she murmured at the knock on the door, and she answered it with a loving, if tired, smile. 'Sorry, we're full, try the Holiday Inn down the street.'

'Tha' no' funny Alessis,' RJ replied, letting go of the side of Jojo's pram and walking forward to give his sister a hug with a loud 'mmm'. 'Mumum gotta go potty.'

'It's true,' Beckett confessed as she shoved the baby inside. 'I thought I'd be okay between here and the train station but we couldn't find a cab. Can you take these ones for a few?'

'Of course, come on in, I'll show you your room.'

Alexis took the handle of the baby carriage from her mother and shoved it into the spare room, where she unfastened the smiling Jojo from her spot and picked her up for a cuddle. 'Hello my sweetheart.'

'Babababab,' Jojo replied with a cheeky grin. 'Bababab.'

'Really? Then what did they do?'

'Bababab.'

'Okay, okay, no spoilers,' Alexis told her little sister with a rub of noses. 'I want to hear the rest later.'

'Daddy say she tell lossa suh-tories.'

'That's right.'

RJ smiled, looked around. 'Why Shane no' here?'

'He's at home, he has to work.'

'Oh. You see him soon, paddis makin' a baby?'

Alexis blushed red as her hair; she really wished her brother didn't remember that part. But that was out of the question, as her brother remembered damn near everything. Fortunately, Beckett appeared in the nick of time to reply to her son's question.

'RJ, remember what we talked about with that question?'

'It no' po-lite?'

'That's right. We don't ask you about how often you hold hands with Trini, right?'

'No.' This time it was RJ's turn to blush as he twisted back and forth. 'I sorry, Alessis.'

'Thanks little bro. Now, are you guys hungry? Can I make you something to eat?'

'Alexis.' Beckett put her hand on her daughter's shoulder. 'The whole reason we came down here while your father is in California is so we can take care of you while you are studying.'

'We fol' socks an' make soup fo' you!' RJ added helpfully with his face in a grin. 'We good effs.'

'Effs?'

'He means elves, as in house elves,' Beckett explained. 'And he's not wrong. You just worry about studying, we'll take care of the rest.'

'Bababab,' Jojo added helpfully, snuggling against Alexis. 'Babab.'

'And Jojo is in charge of cuteness.'

' 'Mon, Sho-sho.' RJ wandered over, tickled his sister's feet. 'Alessis gotta read books, be 'mart, be a dotta.'

'That she does.' Beckett scooped Jojo out of Alexis' arms, with a little protest she noted, but the baby settled when she realized it was her mumum holding onto her now. 'We'll leave you to it, Lex.'

With a nod, Alexis went back into her room where her printer had finished spitting everything out and she was now ready to start the copious amounts of reading. First on the docket - her nemesis, pharmacology. At least the hardest of the five would be out of the way the soonest.

Burying herself in paper and notes, she stayed there for a solid two hours, pausing for a pee break once and a fresh drink, and then hitting them for another hour when she heard a little kick at her door.

'Alessis? Ah-suh-cuse me, Alessis?'

She got up, answered RJ's kicks, and to her surprise RJ had a plate in his hands; on it was a sandwich and chips and veggies. 'Is this room service?'

'Mumum say you gotta take buh-reak, let you' buh-rains res'. It yum-yum time.'

'Well thanks, that's very sweet of you.'

'It a turkey sa'-wish wit' carrots an' celeries an' ships.'

'My favourite,' Alexis smiled at her brother; she hadn't notcied how hungry she'd become until she caught a whiff of bread and meat and vegetables. Taking the plate from him, she followed him out to the kitchen where RJ informed Beckett who was on the couch with Jojo that Alexis was coming for a snack.

'Alessis, wanna juicy?'

'Oh, yes, I'd love a juicy please.'

'I get it!'

RJ went to the fridge, scanned its contents until he found the cache of juice boxes. 'There a puh-pah one an' a 'range one.'

'Orange,' Alexis laughed, chomping a chip when RJ brought it to her. 'Thanks again.'

'Look, Mumum, I helpin' Alessis!'

'I see that,' Beckett laughed, then put Jojo down for her nap in the guest room before joining them. 'How's the studying going,' she asked as Alexis picked up her sandwich and dove in.

'Diffa-ful. Difficult,' she clarified after swallowing. 'Pharmacology is a real pain the butt.'

'How are you doing in that course?'

'Not bad. It's one of my hardest, even though everyone else says it's so easy. Me, I breeze through hematapathology and everyone else is in tears over it.'

Beckett thought of her own days at the academy, remembered how she's had her own struggles with certain courses that came so easily to everyone else. 'I'm sure you'll do fine. How's the wedding planning going?'

'Good. The next time I'm home, after exams will be the May holiday weekend and on the Friday I have another dress fitting with the bridesmaids and Shane and I are getting our rings sized the same afternoon.'

'That will be fun.'

'Yeah it will.'

'Lex?' Beckett looked at her daughter, saw the glimmer of sadness on her face. 'Is everything okay?'

'I'm just thinking...here I am in Princeton, in medical school and Andrea's been taking over a lot of the details of the wedding, everything going through me and Shane of course, but she's planning when the appointments are for me, for flowers and hair and photos.'

'Are you feeling like she's planning your day for you?'

'No, I'm happy I've got such a great friend to help me and...I don't know, I'm just feeling a little guilty over it that it's such a relief I've got that friend to help me.'

'Ah.'

'I mean, Andrea was planning for a wedding and a baby together, you know?'

'No she didn't.' Beckett smiled, shook her head as Alexis poked at the remaining few vegetables on her plate. 'Andrea did essentially what you're doing now, planning for something in the near future and the later future. Yes, it's stressful, but when you've got good people around, it helps.'

'Thanks Mom.' Alexz sniffled. 'God, I'm leaking at every turn these days.'

'You're under a lot of stress and you're working hard which means lack of sleep. Why don't you go have a rest for an hour?'

'I think I can handle a nap.'

'Alessis? It nap time?' RJ looked over at her, ignoring the singing cartoons on the TV.

'Yes, it's nap time for me.'

'Wai' fo' me! I comin'!'

He hurried over, took her hand to lead her into her room, climbed up on her bed and wiggled against the fluffy pillow he found there. Charmed beyond logic, Alexis laid down on her side of the bed and wasn't surprised when RJ reached down to try and pull up the sheets.

'Thanks, RJ, you're very good at this.'

'You my Alessis,' he shrugged, and what he said next nearly had her tears starting up again. 'You my sisser, I love you.'

'Aw, I love you too RJ.'

'Now go beddie-byes.'

'And we're back,' she yawned.

Out in the living room, Beckett looked in the fridge, started making a small grocery list for the following day. She would order Alexis' favourite pizza for dinner that night, then nothing but brain food - whole grains and vegetables and fish. The laundry needed tending to as well; Alexis was a clothes horse like her father and her grandmother and could wear up to three or four complete outfits in a single day and that was excluding special event days. Plus RJ loved folding socks, for some inexplicable reason so he would be a great help there too.

She felt the vibration of her phone in her pocket and took it out to read the text from Castle - _how's life on the other coast?_

_Tense. Alexis is going to crack soon, trying to stay upbeat and positive about everything, _she typed back, _and I only hope Shane's around when it happens to be there for her right away._

Beckett looked over to the door, then sent a second reply to her husband - _and since Shane's in New York right now, RJ's stepping up his 'bro' game.  
><em>


	28. The Kneecap Insult

_Hello everyone! I know it's been a while since I checked in with you, but I am still here and still loving all your wonderful words of praise and suggestion and observation in the reviews! For the record, I'd like to say what happens at the end of this chapter was ripped right out of my life with only two little changes so it suits the story. As always, share the love and enjoy!_

* * *

><p>'When's Alexis rolling into town?'<p>

'Last exam ends at noon, she will be here at two-thirty pm today. Pass me that metal bowl, right here.'

A little creeped out, Esposito passed Shane the requested bowl and watched the man deposit his current customer's liver in, then hastily set it aside. 'You going to meet her?'

'Yeah, I'm only here until Mister Pasternak is taken care of and his tests are being run by the techs. Cause of death was his severed carotid artery but he needed the full spa package, as it were.'

'You have one sick sense of humour my man,' Esposito told him, then tried to keep a straight face that didn't turn green as he watched Shane remove the stomach and then began uncoiling the intestines. 'Very, very sick.'

Ryan stuck his head in the door of Shane's autopsy theatre, whistled for his other half. 'Come on, bro, time to hit the road.'

'Oh, and since you're both here,' Shane informed the two-headed monster, 'no going overboard for the bachelor party, okay? Something appropriate and tasteful since I've been with my almost-wife for three and a half years.'

'So only one night of strippers?' Ryan asked.

'Exactly.'

'We can handle that.' Esposito went to hold out his hand for a knuckle bump, then thought twice about it as he watched Shane dig into the open chest cavity and remove the lungs. He opted instead for a quick pat on the shoulder. 'See you on the beach tonight bro.'

Shane laughed as they left, then looked at Mister Pasternak. 'You know how excited I am about this weekend bro?' he told the corpse. 'So excited, you have no idea, it's just going to be amazing. Alexis home for three whole days, and then a week of nothing but lectures followed by a whole reading week off. I know she'll be studying for a lot of that time but she'll be home and we can have naked study breaks, strip-tease quizzes and I must be really hard up for her if that's immediately where my mind is automatically going.'

When Mister Pasternak's last details had been taken care of, Shane had never been more happy in recent memory to pull off his protective gear, change out of his scrubs and head for the out-door. He had sweet-talked Faisal into letting him borrow his honey of a ride for the trip out to the Hamptons and couldn't wait to see Alexis' long red hair blowing in the breeze.

Shane checked his watch; he had about an hour before he was to meet Alexis at Penn Station and since it was Friday afternoon of the holiday weekend, he decided to play it safe. Fishing out his phone, he sent her a text - _hello my sexy little strawberry, I'll meet out at that little cafe across from the W 31st street Penn Stations Exit. lots of love your horny almost hubby._

The hour went quickly and soon, Shane found himself sitting with a cold drink on the patio of Steam-Whistle, the cafe where he liked to meet Alexis when the crowds at Penn Station were too much hassle for them both. He waited, looking up every so often, until finally he saw her crossing the street and walking towards him at the cafe.

She was ten feet from his table when disaster struck - with no apparent warning, her right shoe slipped in a crevice on the sidewalk and she went down like a bag of bricks, face first to the pavement. Shane was up like a flash, rushing over to help her, though she'd already rolled to her butt and was examining the damage herself.

'Alexis, oh my god, sweetheart, are you okay?' he asked her, then winced when he saw the stark white and the trickles of red along with abraded flesh and pocks of gravel in her knee. 'Oh, Lex, you're going to need stitches on this, baby. Sir, may I have your napkin if it's unused?'

'Of course.'

'Not quite the welcome I was expecting to give you,' Alexis said, trying for humour so she wouldn't focus on the numbing pain in her kneecap. 'I mean, it did involved us on the ground but not like this.'

'That makes two of us, my sweet. Can you stand? Don't try to bend the knee, you'll rip it open further. Here.'

Shane unfastened his belt, wound it over Alexis leg so the leather held the cotton, already spotting with blood, firmly against her injury. 'Come on, girl, we're not too far from George Washington Memorial.'

'I saw what happened there.' A waiter came over, jerked his thumb over his shoulder. 'I called a cab, you think she needs an ambulance?'

'No, a taxi is fine,' Alexis replied. 'It's not like my leg was hacked off, it's just a deep cut, but I'm thankful all the same.'

'Here, put your arm around my shoulders, that's the way.' Shane helped her to her feet and they hobbled over to the curb with her bag in hand where a cab just pulled to the taxi-slot. He helped her in, and took the front seat for himself, letting the cabbie know they were heading to the hospital.

The ER at George Washington Memorial wasn't terribly crowded, considering it was the afternoon of a long weekend. Then again, GW wasn't a trauma hospital the way Saint Vincent's or Stuyvesant were, so it didn't surprise Alexis at all. She gave the intake nurse all her information and had her work-up of blood pressure and pulse done, and then it was the waiting game. They were there perhaps forty-five minutes, trying to keep the conversation light as they watched the other patients have their names called until finally a woman with smooth mocha skin called out 'Alexis Castle' in a musical Carib accent.

'Come on there, peg leg.' Shane helped her to her feet, and they were ushered back to a bed in the eight bed common area of the ER, and a trim, Asian doctor yawned widely as he came over to pick up her chart.

'So, Miss Alexis, you took a spill, did you? Let's have a look.'

The doctor, who hadn't even introduced himself, unwound Shane's makeshift compress and clucked his tongue at what he saw. 'Yes, ma'am you did a number on your knee. Nurse Havilland, can you bring me a suture kit as well as some saline and some cotton tweezers?'

'Right away, Doctor.'

'Excuse me a moment.'

The doctor hustled away to find latex gloves and Alexis stared after him. 'Yet another reason I don't want to work in an ER setting or even a hospital setting to start. The difference between nurses and doctors comes with a built-in superiority complex I just don't want to deal with.'

'You have nurses at the counseling clinic, though, right?'

'Yeah, but we don't use terms like nurse and doctor, we use the all embracing 'counselor'. You have to have your APA certification as a counselor to work in the clinics I've worked in, so in a sense we're all on the same playing field,' Alexis pointed out and Shane nodded.

'Similar to how we use the term medical examiner?'

'A little bit. Shane?'

'Yes.'

'I'm scared of needles. Not giving them, getting them. Can you...can you hold my hand through it?'

Shane picked up her hand, kissed the knuckles that had also had a layer of skin taken off. 'Of course.'

'Okay, let's start with a little debris clearing.' The doctor returned, picked up the tweezers and began to pluck out the bits of gravel from Alexis knee; when the wound was cleaned, he picked up the vial of local anesthetic and filled a syringe with a dose. 'Now a little pinch, and then you'll just feel the tugging on your knee.'

'Uh-huh,' Alexis gritted out, then let out a yelp when she felt the suturing needle puncture through. 'Ouch!'

'Relax, Miss Castle.'

'No, you're stitching where there's no freezing!' she cried at him. 'It hurts!'

'Oh, I'm sorry about that,' the doctor replied blandly, and loaded up a fresh syringe with another dose when he injected into Alexis' knee. 'There, let's try that.'

Alexis kept her eyes closed as she gripped Shane's hand, squeezing even tighter when she still felt the nip and sting of the needle. 'Shane,' she said through clenched teeth, 'is he almost through?'

Shane glanced over, saw Alexis was now sporting four stitches in her right knee in the shape of an upside down Nike swoosh. 'Yes, he's done,' he reassured her.

'You'll need to keep the stitches in for about a week, you can make an appointment with your family GP to take them out, if you like or I can do it here.'

'No! No,' Alexis repeated a little more calmly, sitting up to watch the doctor put a square of fresh cotton over the stitches in case of weeping, then wrap her knee in a tensor bandage. 'What about cleansing?'

'No stagnant water, which means no swimming in pools, tubs or oceans. Just showers. And you'll need to keep it elevated when sitting, and of course, no driving and limited physical activity on the knee. If you're in pain, drug store extra-strength Tylenol should do the trick. The nurse at the desk will give you your discharge papers.'

When the doctor took off, Alexis looked balefully at her fiance. 'Great. No swimming, no playing, no sex all on the one weekend I was looking forward to just having some time off.'

'It'll be fine. We can shower together, and we can certainly have sex,' Shane told her, kissing her lightly as he helped her stand up. 'In fact, why don't we go home and fit in a practice round before we head to the Hamptons, just to be sure?'


	29. The Hamptons Meltdown

Beckett wandered around to the side of the porch that face the driveway, chewing her thumbnail impatiently. What was keeping Alexis and Shane? She knew how much Alexis was looking forward to the break away from books and studying after her midterms.

Her worries abated when she saw the red convertible pull in, and were replaced with new ones when she saw Shane pop out of the driver's seat and go around to help Alexis out of the car. Beckett rushed off the porch, saw Alexis hobbling towards her; the light breeze off the water lifted Alexis' skirt just enough for her to see a tensor bandage wrapped around the middle of her right leg.

'What the hell happened?' she asked worriedly. 'Alexis, are you okay?'

'Yeah, just took a fall outside the cafe where I was meeting Shane,' she replied dully, swinging her right leg like it was made of wood. 'Four stitches later, I have to keep it clean, straight and wrapped which means I'll be on my ass the entire weekend.'

'Oh, sweetie I'm so sorry.' Beckett gave her a hug, felt how tense she was and couldn't blame her. 'You have any pills for it?'

'Just standard Tylenol. I really want to sit down.'

'You can hang on the porch. Meredeth and the kids are already here, as are Honey-Milk and her babies. The rest are coming up tonight in time for later dinner.'

'Oh, boy, will I get to make something for dinner? No, let's make it tonight's midnight dessert,' Alexis decided. 'Right now, I really do need to sit down.'

'I've got the luggage sweetie, our usual room?' Shane asked her and Alexis nodded, which had him disappearing into the house while she batted away Beckett's hand on her elbow.

'I'll be fine, Mom, really.'

Beckett held up her hands in surrender and watched as Alexis walked with a pirate's gait around the corner; the bench was occupied by Mallory, RJ and Trini playing a spirited game of Go Fish and Alexis lowered herself into a chair opposite Honey-Milk.

'Oh, man, Lex, what happened?' she asked, noting the bandage. Her voice had the other little ones looking over, RJ's eyes going wide.

'Alessis, you hur'? Wha' happen?'

'I tripped over my feet and fell very hard, and needed some stitches to get my knee closed up,' Alexis replied as her little brother came over to inspect. 'And I have to wear this bandage on my knee to keep the dirt out so my cut can heal.'

'Wan' me kiss it bettah?'

'Sure.'

RJ bent down, gave her knee a little kiss. 'Mwah. There, bettah.'

'Thank you.' She grinned at him, fought the urge to scratch at the spot she knew where her stitches were. 'What are you guys up to?'

'We are puh-layin' car's,' Mallory told her proudly. 'I winnin'.'

'Uh-huh, she muy goo',' Trini chipped in. 'Alessis, you wanna juicy?'

'I'd love a drink.'

'I geddit!' RJ jabbed himself in the chest with his thumb. 'I the buh-ro, I do it!'

'Easy, RJ,' Beckett chuckled, sat down in the chair between Honey-Milk and Alexis. 'How was the rest of your day, aside from the whole knee shredding thing?'

'Fine, good, had my last exam. Well, it wasn't really an exam, it was the final evaluation of my clinical placement.'

'Oh I remember those, those were such a pain,' Honey-Milk nodded in sympathy. 'What about the wedding planning? How's everything going there?'

'Lots done, but lots still to do,' Shane replied, coming through the door with a glass of iced tea in his hand which he gave to Alexis. 'I have orders from RJ to give this to you.'

'Thanks, baby.'

'Oh, hey Beckett, before I forget, I have to tell you about that seminar for mothers and shift work at the hospital. It's open to the community now for sign-ups,' Honey-Milk said to Beckett, talking around Alexis; not wanting to be a conversational pylon, she got up and moved to the swing. Shane adjusted his position so that he could accommodate her, took her hand in his.

'Don't worry, Lex, it's not going to be like that the whole weekend.'

'Won't it? I'll get three questions, just you watch - how's my knee, how's the wedding going, how's school. And then it's on to everyone they see all the time. I'm the bride, I'm the one who lives away most of the time for school, and I'm injured. Shouldn't I get a little extra TLC?'

'I would hope so, but if that's not the case, just remember, we are getting married and your knee will heal.'

* * *

><p>As the night wore on Shane could see that Alexis was indeed trying her hardest not to simply freak the fuck out on everyone asking her about school and the wedding. He wondered if they knew how mechanical their interest sounded, that they were asking for form's sake and not for genuine interest, even though both of them knew there was no on in the world who cared more about Alexis' well being than the people in this house.<p>

By the time the kids were all tucked in, and they were ready for midnight dessert, Shane could see Alexis had reached the end of her tether and knew that it would only be a matter of time before she snapped completely.

The final straw came when everyone was sprawled around the living room making yummy noises about her frozen lemonade torte. Only, they hadn't realized who was doing the cooking.

'Mere, this is so good,' Andrea sighed, licking her spoon in delight. 'God, if it wasn't so rude, I'd lick my plate clean.'

'You're among friends,' Dave agreed, then elbowed Lanie. 'This give me ideas.'

'David,' she giggled. 'Seriously Mere, what did you put in this?'

'I don't know,' Meredeth shrugged, scooping up more for herself.

'Oh come on, Mere, none of that chef's secrets thing,' Castle chided her.

'Seriously, I don't know, I didn't make it. Alexis did.'

Everyone looked around, saw Alexis sitting with her leg elevated and her back ramrod straight. 'I made it,' she agreed, then rose stiffly. 'Not that any one of you ever give a damn about the hard work I do. That's the way it always goes, right? I make the dessert, Meredeth gets the compliment. I'm busting my ass at medical school, everyone tells Shane and Dad they should be so proud of me. I'm planning a wedding with my fiance, and Andrea gets the credit for being the heroic maid of honour.'

'Alexis,' Andrea started, but Daniel laid a hand on her arm, shook his head.

'That's about right, isn't it? Let's see, while I was in charge of planning my wedding, the rabbi died, we couldn't find a replacement and had to ask Dad to call in a marker. Then, when Daniel tried to do the Internet rabbi thing, he was mailed a box of porn. What else, oh yeah!' Alexis playfully put a fingertip to her chin, shrugged jerkily. 'I had to cancel on the florist because Shane had strep throat and we couldn't go together, my bridesmaid Theresa dropped out leaving me to look like an idiot and ask someone to fill in which is so damn insulting, the tailor tried to sell Shane and the men the wrong tuxedos and this just in, I will have a nice fresh scar for my honeymoon thanks to my stitches.'

'Oh, that's all?' Lili waved it off. 'Honey, that's nothing.'

'Ix-nay, Lucita,' Esposito murmured, elbowing his sister sharply as Alexis' eyes narrowed at the woman.

'And that's your reaction. It's nothing. Well news flash, it's not _nothing_ to me, Lili,' she snapped ferociously. 'It's my wedding day. I am a third year medical student trying to plan her wedding while studying and keeping her grades up. I am in the top twenty of my class and still have some how managed to find the time to come to New York almost every weekend to plan my dream day. Does that sound like nothing to you? Oh, wait, I forgot, I'm Richard Castle's perfect daughter Alexis!'

No one said anything, as Alexis had built up such a head of steam, she barely noticed no one else was talking and that all eyes were on her.

'I'm not supposed to get stressed or hurt or upset or express any negative emotion, right? I'm just supposed to smile because I'm a super-human freak of nature! I'm not allowed to be worried all these things going wrong means my dream day with Shane is going to be a fucking disaster, that maybe during a fitting I get my period and ruin my beautiful white dress or that the wrong cake will be delivered and some busty stripper will pop out! No, I don't get to think about those things at two in the morning when I can't sleep because I'm Alexis Harper Castle and what the fuck does she know about stress?'

Hot tears poured down her cheeks as Alexis glared at them all. 'So thank you all so much for the loving support I've gotten from my so-called family. I hope you enjoy your dessert.'

With as much dignity as she could muster, she turned on her good heel and went to limp out of the room but Shane caught her arm before she could go anywhere.

'Alexis,' he murmured, pulling her close. He kissed her temple, and with that simple gesture, Alexis' last line of defense was shattered. She began to cry against his shoulder, softly at first, then great big body-wracking sobs that surprised no one in the room.

'I just want to be happy about planning my wedding,' she wept.

'I know, me too, Lex. Why don't we go talk?'


	30. The Hamptons Decision

Shane led Alexis out to the porch, where he knew the swing would be more comfortable for her leg. He said nothing as she continued to cry it out, then just held her hand when she was down to sighs and sniffles.

'Had that one coming for awhile, didn't you,' he murmured softly to her.

'I guess so. And you didn't say anything because you know I'd just snarl and snap at you when you didn't deserve it.'

'Well that and I knew no matter what I said, you still would have insisted you were fine whether you realized it or not.'

'You know me so well, Shane,' Alexis sighed, then sniffled pitifully. 'God, I must have sounded like a right bitch in there, huh? Going off on everyone and especially Andrea when she's been nothing but wonderful.'

'This is exactly why you had a meltdown, Alexis, all this guilt.'

'I...I don't know how many more disappointments I can handle, Shane, I wanted this day to be perfect for us.'

'Me too.' Shane paused, frowned. 'I don't think I've been a good fiance to you the last month and a half, Alexis. I haven't really paid attention to you.'

'Of course you have.'

'No, I mean I've been paying attention to you, not what you've been doing for the wedding. It's thoughtless of me, that I've just been telling you it will all work out without showing you how I can help it. And I'm sorry for it.'

'Well, I haven't been a treat either, taking every little thing that goes wrong as the end of the world,' Alexis agreed, swiping the back of her hand under her nose.

'There is a solution here, which I think will do us some good. I know it will do me some good.'

'Which is what?'

'I'll go on leave from work until the wedding,' Shane replied and Alexis sat up like she'd been shot from a cannon.

'No, Shane, I can't ask that of you. What about your bills, our rent, the cost of the wedding?'

'We have the wedding fund set up, and if I go on sabbatical, which I haven't done yet this year as per my regulations to avoid burnout, I'll still take my full salary for up to a month. I'll time it so that my first day officially back is the start of our honeymoon so I'm on my previously scheduled holiday and then when we're back, I'll be back on office hours only for two weeks as per the OCME sabbatical guidelines.'

'But-'

'Alexis, sometimes to step up and be a good husband, you need to take a step back,' Shane told her. 'I need to be there for you more than I've been. I'm just so used to you handling a crisis with such class and style and grace that I honestly forget sometimes not even you are Wonder Woman.'

'First clue, Wonder Woman had black hair,' she told him with a little smile and Shane felt the first dribble of relief.

'There we go, a little smile.'

'Shane, I meant what I said in there. I don't know how much more lost sleep I can take over planning this wedding. And Andrea is great but...but...'

'But you feel like you should be doing more as the bride.'

'Yeah, I do.'

'Lex, you've done so much already, you know that Andrea's simply damage control, right?' He watched her shake her head, so Shane tried a different approach. 'Okay, example. We picked out the flowers for the wedding right? The centrepieces, the ceremony decorations, the reception decorations, your bouquets, the boutonnieres, all of it just you and me. What did Andrea do?'

'Confirm date of delivery to the hotel and hand over the check.'

'So how is that planning it for you?'

Alexis frowned, felt tears spring fresh into her eyes. 'Well, Jesus, you say it like that and you make me feel like some spoiled diva, Shane!'

'You're not, you're not at all,' he reassured her, wrapping his arms tightly around her and pulling her close. 'You're very stressed out is what you are, and in need of a recharge.'

'Which I was looking forward to this weekend, and I won't get thank to this fucking thing.' Alexis rapped her fist lightly over her bandaged knee. 'No swimming, no beach volleyball, no getting to play with RJ in the Olympics tomorrow. Just sitting on a towel under an umbrella so I don't get the world's most ridiculous tan lines. With the exception of when you got those sunglasses burns in Antigua.'

'Those were pretty bad.'

'Oh, just horrible, horrible horrible,' she agreed with a little laugh, then sighed. 'God, Shane I love you so much.'

'I love you so much right back Alexis.'

They sat together in the low porch light, watching the way the lights from other cottages in the cove dotted the shoreline. Someone was having a large barbecue, as the light late-night wind sent the scent of grilled meat and charcoal their way while they listened to the crickets in the boathouse marsh and the lapping of the water at the shore.

The tranquility was interrupted by the sound of the sliding doors and both looked over to see Andrea, the stains of tears visible on her cheeks and in her voice.

'Hey, guys, mind if I join you,' she asked in a tremulous voice.

'Not at all.'

She pulled up the wicker foot stool so she was sitting across from the not-so-happy-at-the-moment happy couple and just looked at them for second - Shane sitting askew so that Alexis could put her leg up on the swing and be snuggled against his chest, her hands lightly resting on his arms that wrapped around her body. They were such a solid unit, married already, Andrea thought, without the little piece of paper or the rings.

'I just wanted to say I'm sorry for overstepping as your maid of honour, Lex. I was trying to help the best way I knew how, trying to keep you cheerful so you wuldn't get distracted from school by worrying about the wedding.'

'No, Andrea, I owe you an apology for the way I spoke about you in there.'

Andrea shook her head. 'No, you don't. Every bride at one point or another feel completely overwhelmed, even if there are no mitigating circumstances. There's no need to feel embarrassed about letting out how you feel, letting us know what you need to stay sane. What can I do to help?'

'Actually, Andrea.' Shane shifted so he was sitting up a little straighter. 'Alexis and I have been talking and I am going to be taking a leave from work until the wedding, so I can step up my game a little bit more as the hubby-to-be and be supportive of my wife.'

'No one gets to know about it yet, though,' Alexis added hastily. 'We're going to tell everyone tomorrow, so they won't think this decision is being made in temper or something.'

'No one will think that,' Andrea reassured them. 'But as long as we're telling porch secrets, can I share one too? One that will also have an effect on the wedding?'

Alexis felt her stomach do a bounce, held her breath. 'Let's have it.'

'I'm pregnant.'

'No!' She gasped, pressed her hands together in front of her mouth. 'Andrea, oh my goodness! Congratulations!'

'No one knows yet except Daniel, we're telling Nessa tomorrow morning before we tell everyone else after Jim and my mother get here.'

'When did you find out,' Shane asked; he could already see Alexis' wheels turning frantically.

'I took four EPT tests yesterday and Harvey confirmed it today for us with a sonogram while we were on shift. I'm so excited, but more, I want you to know it's not going to affect how I can help you as a maid of honour.'

'That's why you chose the empire waist silhouette for your maid of hoour dress, in case you had an extra passenger on board,' Alexis realized, thinking back to the day when Andrea had had her first fitting of the her bridal party dress. 'But...are you sure?'

'Yes, I am.' Andrea nodded firmly. 'I know the reason you cut Sloan down to a regular bridesmaid is because you didn't want to split her focus from preparing for the baby, but there are two major differences here. One, I'm only about eight weeks into it, not at the end stage. And two, perhaps more importantly, this is my second baby, I know what to expect.'

'Oh, Andrea.' Alexis tried to scoot forward to hug her friend, but settled for stretched out her arms which Andrea gripped tightly. 'I'm so excited for you.'

'So since tomorrow I won't be able to go on the boat to go swimming, and you're out of commission, why don't the two of us sit down and go over your wedding planning on the beach?'

'The three of us,' Shane amended. 'I'm sticking close to my girl this weekend.'

'Absolutely. Okay, I'm going inside to find my husband and have wild preggo sex with him.'

'Enjoy.'

Andrea slipped back into the house, leaving Shane and Alexis to their own peacefulness with the ocean night noises.

'Shane,' she murmured to him, tracing her fingertips on his arm.

'Alexis.'

'I want to make love with you tonight and I can't help thinking how awkward you'll find it with my knee not being able to bend.'

'Oh, Lex.' Shane chuckled, kissed her temple. 'That's why God gave us shower stalls with amazingly strong towel bars.'


	31. The Hamptons Morning After

Sleep helped, Alexis realized, however little it was. She still felt crumby physically - she'd never cared for the aftershock of a good crying jag on the body - and yet she couldn't help feeling an overwhelming sense of relief having gotten everything she had off of her chest.

A quick glance at the clock told her it was barely seven in the morning; Alexis tried to roll over in her sleep and discovered her almost-hubby was there with an iron-locked arm around her waist.

'Shane,' she hissed at him, rubbing her hand over his forearm.

'Alexis, I'm still sleeping.'

'I need to use the bathroom.'

'Oh.'

Still half unconscious, Shane lifted his arm and his left eyelid to watch his fiancee swing herself out of bed and head towards the ensuite. He rolled to his back and felt the twinge again there again, and finally figured it out what he'd done to his back that it was giving him such grief - the last time he'd felt this same twinge, Pearlmutter was training the rookies Baccarin and Kessler in his theatre. Both Baccarin and Kessler were under five-eight and so the six-foot-one Shane had had to adjust his posture innately when using their work tables, resulting in his back seizing up like a bad engine every so often for the next few weeks.

Thankfully the nice hot shower he'd shared with his almost-wife the night before, complete with shower sex, had helped him out greatly there.

'Hey, Lex,' he called out when he heard the toilet flush and the water in the sink, 'you know, we can still go out on the boat with everyone today.'

'Yeah, but being such a priss will I be welcome?'

'Don't be so absurd. They are your family and they love you and...' Shane debated, took the plunge. 'Quite frankly they knew it was coming sooner or later.'

'I suppose, but it still doesn't make me feel like any less of a circus freak.'

'Yes, the Amazing One-Kneed Medical Student! Step right up, folks, only costs three shekels to see the one and only sup-_er_ human lady who thinks she has to do everything to perfection! Nerr!'

Shane let out a little honk when Alexis threw his swim shorts at him and they landed on his chest. 'Thanks honey.'

'Any time sweetie.' Alexis looked around frowned. 'I think I might need a little help with my swimsuit. The bottoms as least, I've got the top covered, here.'

'Okay, just a moment.'

Shane sat up, tugged his trunks over his naked hips before going to their suit cases and finding her bikini. He particularly liked this one, it was the style of Honey Ryder's from _Dr. No_ but rather than being a sandy flesh tone, it was stripes of emerald green, pearl white and aubergine. 'Here, stand there.'

He crouched in front of her, arranged the bottoms of her bikini at her feet. 'Step forward, and...up we go.'

With gentle moves Shane pulled the fabric up over her legs to where she could reach it herself, then pressed a kiss to her smooth belly. 'Good practice for when you're eight million months pregnant.'

'Shane, I've been through enough since yesterday afternoon, I don't want to think how I'll look when I can't see my toes anymore because I'm so huge with baby.'

'I'll tell you how you're look.' He rose up to his feet, and held her hands at their sides. 'You'll look like Doctor Alexis Weaver, wife of Doctor Shane Weaver and mother of Baby Weaver. Doctor part to be determined. And you will be the yummiest mummy in the world.'

'Aw.'

Alexis wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulled him in for a kiss. She would have stayed there a few moments longer but for the sound of little feet and little voices outside the door.

'Shh! They might be still sleeping!'

'Daddy say it 'nack time! Alessis! Shane!'

There was a small knock on the door, and Shane pulled on a t-shirt, opened it to see Tessi and RJ there. 'Morning guys.'

'Morning Shane!' Tessi sent a winning smile in his direction. 'Did we wake you up or you were already awake?'

'We were already awake, Miss Tessi.'

'We shifs to-day, Shane!' RJ informed him with a matching grin. 'We makin' waffas an' om-ah-lettes!'

'There is also fresh fruit and juice and coffee if you like it,' Tessi added, then tapped RJ's shoulder. 'Okay we told them, now we have to finish letting them get dressed.'

'I gotta as' a question firs',' RJ insisted and looked at Alexis' knee. 'Alessis, tha' oushie?'

She looked down where her knee was exposed, not wrapped yet and the flesh was an angry red against the neon blue thread of her stitches. 'It's still sore but it looks worse than it is,' she reassured her little brother and RJ nodded, then looked at Tessi.

'Okay, we go now. Alessis you nee' mo' cuh-lothes. No' nice havin' bubbies ou' !'

Alexis watched her brother and his friend walk down the hallway, looked at her bikini top. 'That kid will be having a mass coronary on the beach today when we're all in our two-pieces. But he's right, I'll cover up for being in the kitchen around everyone.'

Once Shane had helped her into a pair of shorts and her beach slip-top, they headed for the kitchen where the children were all lined up around the table with little bowls in their hands, going up to Castle one at a time. At various points around the dining room were the grown-ups all drinking coffee or juice or tea. Alexis held Shane's hand tightly as they walked in, and she noted the conversation died down a little at their entrance.

'Morning everyone,' she said hesitantly. 'I, ah, think some apologies are in order.'

'No they're not,' Lili shook her head, came over to give Alexis a warm embrace. 'Every bride has her meltdown, that was yours last night.'

'It's true, we've all had them, sweetie,' Lanie agreed as she joined in for the hug, saw Meredeth, Honey-Milk and Andrea get up to pile on as well. 'We don't think you're being a bad bride.'

'No?'

'Not at all. You're at a much different place than we all were getting married, you have to remember that Alexis,' Honey-Milk pointed out. 'We were already established in our careers when we met our boys, but you met the love of your life while in university. Planning that kind of wedding has different stresses. I think we're so used to you just tackling a problem and blasting through it like it's a piece of tissue paper.'

'But that's the thing,' Alexis said emphatically. 'Planning our wedding shouldn't be a problem to be tackled. It should be something we enjoy.'

'Exactly and we are here to support you, whatever you need, Lex,' Meredeth added with a wave of the hand.

'That's what we talked about last night,' Shane replied, looking around at them. 'Which is why we made a decision about the wedding planning. As of Monday, I am going on sabbatical from my job until July.'

'Seriously bro?' Ryan looked stunned.

'Seriously. My almost-wife needs me to be a better almost-husband than I've been the last few weeks, and all things considered this is the best option.'

As everyone knew better than to mess with Shane when he sounded like this - oddly, it was the exact same tone Alexis used when she didn't want anyone to screw with her - they all looked around and nodded; thankfully Castle and Beckett were there to break the tension by informing them waffles and omelettes were ready, so everyone could grab a plate and load up.

Shane watched Alexis go off with Meredeth and Lanie and Andrea, and was glad to see her settling back into her own skin a little bit. He was also thankful for it, because while they were in the living room, he could talk with his boys on the porch and wasn't at all surprised when the two-headed monster sussed him out.

'Dude, are you sure everything is okay with you two,' Esposito asked worriedly as he shoveled in his huevos-rancheros omelette.

'I love Alexis with all my heart and she needs me to step up and be a man for her,' Shane replied honestly. 'She needs me to be her man, and her man is someone who always has her back. I need to do the wedding stuff with a clear head because it shouldn't be a headache, it should be fun. So I'm on sabbatical until my vacation time kicks in for the honeymoon.'

'Wow.' Ryan sat down on the edge of his desk, folded his arms over his chest. 'I didn't realize things were so tense with you guys.'

'Not between us, us versus wedding planning,' Shane corrected him. 'Alexis is coming into finals for the semester. Do you think she is going to have time to do anything wedding related while she's studying?'

'Nope.' Esposito shook his head, clapped Shane on the shoulder. 'You're doing the right thing, bro. I'd do the same again for Mere if that's what I needed to do.'

'It's gonna be weird, though, you and Beckett both gone,' Ryan pointed out. 'That leaves us with Lanie, Wheezy, Perlmutter, and the two newbies.'

'Yeah, well, when you get lonely thinking of me planning my wedding to the love of my life, remember how much fun we're going to have dancing our tuchis off on July eighth.'

'And the bachelor party,' Esposito added. 'We have to one-up the girls.'

'Oh?'

'Trust us,' Ryan told him, 'those ladies know how to throw down.'


	32. The Hamptons Afternoon

_So I gaffed and totally forgot to put in this chapter! Oops! Ah, well it's here now!_

* * *

><p>By noon, when it was time to get the Olympics under way, Alexis and Shane were both not only comfortable in their decision but actually able to enjoy the weekend, stitches and all. Castle had come up with the genius idea of using plastic wrap and medical tape over Alexis' sterile-cotton bandage so she wouldn't have a ridiculous tan line on her leg, which Lanie and Shane had both though was insane and kinda of awesome.<p>

Never a group to let anyone feel small or unimportant, Castle had put Andrea and Alexis - the preggo and the peg-leg, as Andrea had made her announcement the moment Jim and Agnes had walked through the door - in charge of the scoreboards and starter-checquered flags. Martha was in the city with back-to-back performances of her latest play which meant that Agnes was put in charge of photography, getting her first taste of what being on a Castle vacation meant.

There was all kinds of ridiculous events, from the water-balloon shot-putt to the daddy-and-child crab walk, the sand-worm sprint, noodle-polo in the shallows of the ocean. They all got to have a sugar-overload moment that made everyone laugh when little Jojo giggled madly at her first taste of being in the ocean; Jojo, much like Tessi and Nessa, loved the water, but the real clincher came when overbearing big-bro RJ insisted on staying right beside her in case a big wave came along and scared her. Alexis watched Andrea rubbed her abdomen lightly and wondered a few years down the road how everyone would react when she announced she would be the latest Twelfth Precinct mom. Or would her children take after their uncle and call her Mumum?

'You're awfully deep in thought for someone spending the afternoon on the beach,' Shane commented, coming up to her and kissing her cheek.

'Just thinking about dinner, all that barbecue and how I'm going to get to try everything.'

'And? I know your thinking face,' he reminded her, then leaned closer to whisper in her ear, 'just as well as I know your orgasm face.'

'Shane, there are little kids here. I was thinking about if our eventual children would call me mom or mumum like RJ uses.'

'Well, considering he'll think it's his personal mission to raise them,' Shane chuckled, 'I would count on thinking of yourself as Mumum. Hey, there's the big man!'

'Alessis, Anduh-rea gotta have a shair,' RJ told her, 'she have a bumpy in her tum-tum, she nee' res'. It busy guh-rowin' a bumpy.'

'Man, nothing gets by you.' Andrea, having overheard the conversation, wandered closer and gave RJ a wink. 'And I'm okay right now, Nessa's bumpy is still very little, it's only eight weeks old. That means it's about this big.'

RJ held up his fingers against Andrea's that measured about a half an inch long, then comically held them against her belly. 'Tha' 'till way 'mall. When Nessa bumpy be here? When it birt'day?'

'The doctor's said it will be here on January the ninth, about a week after Jojo's birthday.'

'Thassa long time. You be cay-full wit' Nessa bumpy.'

'Ah-Shay!' Trini waved her hand and bellowed for her sweetheart. 'Ov-ah here! Time fo' mo' games!'

RJ scampered away, leaving Andrea to give the bride and groom to be a sympathetic look. 'Man, I pity your kids.'

'You're not the only one,' Shane chuckled.

'Okay, fellow Olympians!' Castle hollered it through his megaphone. 'It's time for a fuel break so everyone head to the porch for juice and healthy snacks!'

As she wasn't hungry, Alexis lowered herself into the folding beach chair; Andrea sat down beside her, as did Lanie when she wandered over.

'How's it going so far with the plastic wrap, Lex?'

'Hot, but easier than dealing with a bulky tensor.'

'Cool. Listen, I was thinking about an idea for the last night you and Shane get to spend before the wedding,' Lanie said, her dark eyes intense and focused. 'I bet if you talked to her, you could get Lili to comp you a suite at the Waldorf, make it a nice little one-more-time, you know?'

'That's an idea, but the night before the rehearsal dinner is our last night together and we agreed we want that to be a quiet night at home, just us,' Alexis replied. 'Not that I'm dumping all over your idea, because no one loves staying at the Waldorf more than me, but it is going to be an insane week ending in the wedding and we really want to spend our last non-married-night together in our bed, since that's where we spent the first one.'

'Oh, that's so romantic. Okay, forget what I said, that's way better. What about the flowers, I remember from your rant last night you had to cancel your florist?'

'We had to put the appointment off by like a week, which screwed up our schedule a bit, but we got what we want.' Alexis shifted in her chair, absently scratched her knee. 'There will be white roses, gardenias, lilacs and purple hiacynth everywhere, the purple to match the dresses. The centrepieces at the reception are going to be a potted hydrangea which we are going to silent auction off and donate the money to the Twelfth Precinct survivor's fund since we didn't have time to do a fundraiser jack-and-jill.'

'That's very classy,' Lanie agreed. 'Now what about school, how did your exams go?'

'Lanie.' Alexis put a hand on her shoulder. 'It's okay, you don't need to make it up to me from last night. Let's just call today a fresh day, okay?'

'Okay, but I still want to know how your exams went.'

'Oh. Well-'

'Ladies, apologies for interrupting wedding talk, but Mere sends these with her compliments.' Esposito wandered up in just his board shorts carrying a tray with a trio of glasses. 'She also says that she will be down to talk about it as soon as Max Power has had his fill of milk.'

'Thank you Javier,' Lanie said, then tilted her head to look past him as her own hunky stud came walking down the porch steps. 'Oof, step aside, Detective, you're blocking my view.'

'Mine too,' Alexis added, joining in the fun as she watched Shane, shirtless and tattooed and all hers. Her hormones, the fun ones, did a happy little dance as she watched him do the simplest thing - walk towards them as he scratched an itch on his bare stomach just millimetres above the velcro-patched fly of his swim trunks. The movements of his hand near such an intimate part of his body nearly made Alexis blush but checked it just in time before Andrea or Lanie could tease her.

'Kids are going to have a nap soon, we might call it an early afternoon so we can start that barbecue up early and have more time for a beach dance tonight,' Shane informed them. 'Plus someone might need to run into town for a few supplies.'

'Mere and I can do that,' Esposito volunteered, 'while the kids sleep to give her a break. If you guys want, Shane and Lex, you can make use of the boathouse.'

'Take it,' Lanie jumped in, and Andrea nodded.

'Seriously, take it. It's going to be hard if you want privacy tonight since we'll be up dancing the whole night.'

'Well in that case...' Shane looked over to the infamous boathouse, back at Lex. 'Why don't we go lie down, catch a little nap and maybe give that leg a nice massage?'

* * *

><p>'Does this feel a little weird?'<p>

'What, banging each other in the middle of the afternoon when your parents will know exactly why we sneaked off, or the fact we borrowed another couple's room and bed to do it?'

'The second one.' Alexis craned her neck to look over her shoulder where Shane was rubbing his hands over the tense muscles of her right leg. 'My mother told me after we got here last night she thought we were late because we were having reunion sex, not stuck in an ER in the city.'

'Well, then, we'll make sure we launder the sheets for Javi and Mere. How's that feel?'

'Very very nice. The mind blowing orgasm that came before it was nice too. You know, like how a diamond mine all your own is nice.'

Shane chuckled, keeping his strokes on her skin evenly pressured; he was careful to avoid the ticklish spot behind her knee so she would act on reflex and risk ripping open her stitches. It had felt so naughty and decadent to be having sex with her in the middle of the afternoon when everyone knew what they were up to. Shane had never had any real exhibitionist tendancies in his love life but there was something about this that made him feel daring and just a little bit bad.

He leaned down, planted a trail of kisses up her back and was delighted that she shivered; he reached around to cup her naked breast and groaned when he felt the stiffened nipple against his touch. 'Damn, Lex.'

'That's yet another fun part of being a girl, it's our sexy little secret when we're all hot and bothered for our men.' Alexis rolled beneath him, moved her hips against his and watched his eyes cloud over. 'See?'

'You're killing me.' Shane lowered his mouth to hers, then thumped his head on the pillow when the phone rang. 'Boathouse.'

'Ahoy, lover boy,' Ryan replied, having learned his lesson about knocking on the boathouse door. 'Castle says stop violating his daughter no matter how much fun it is and come on up here to help get dinner ready. RJ wants Alexis to make her stove-top cookies with him.'

'Deal.'

'Oh, and bring the sheets for the laundry.'


	33. The Fiance Surprise I

A week later, Alexis felt like herself again. She'd gone back to Princeton for lecture week and on the Friday morning when the lectures were finished, she'd gone to the campus clinic to get her stitches out. She'd been left with only the smallest of chevron-shaped scars, and thanks to the ingenious idea of the plastic wrap, she had no ugly tan line on her leg.

Now, she was at her apartment, waiting for Shane to arrive. He was coming down by rental car to pick her up and they were going to spend a week in the city together. She would be studying and he would be doing his thing, yet they'd be together, the most important part. Shane still had two court dates to appear for, while Pearlmutter himself would take over any outstanding cases he'd left open. But he would be there for her during her finals, when she was ready to just collapse and cry because she wasn't sleeping through the night, she was napping between study sessions.

Trying to not pace in anticipation and failing spectacularly, Alexis looked around her apartment blankly. There was absolutely nothing for her to do; laundry was done, sinks were immaculate, all perishables cleaned from the fridge, the works. So she wandered back over to the window for what felt like the millionth time - and grinned when she saw the spiffy rented hybrid car waiting in the visitor's turnaround. Sleek and efficient, just like her man. Collecting up her suitcase, her purse, her laptop, she headed out to meet him.

He was waiting beside the car, looking smooth and cool as ever as the light wind tousled his hair and drifted the scent of his cologne towards her, making Alexis feel all giggly inside.

'Hello Doctor.'

'Hello Almost Doctor,' he replied, kissing her warmly in greeting before stooping to pick up her luggage and pop it in the trunk. 'You ready for this weekend?'

'Like you read about. I am desperate for a break, since I didn't get the one I thought I was going to have last weekend, though everyone knows that a long weekend like that isn't so much a break as it is time that you're working at having fun.'

'That is very true.'

They passed the car-ride listening to the radio, Alexis filling Shane in on her lectures of the week and getting his tips, his advice on how to prep those particular kinds of notes for exam review. But when they passed their normal exit for Manhattan, Alexis looked at him with concern.

'Shane, you know you missed the northeast exit, right?'

'But we're not going there, we're going to Newark.'

'Newark? What the hell's in Newark?'

'An airplane waiting to take us away for the weekend.'

'What?' Alexis went googly-eyed. 'But what about my parents and my brother and sister?'

'They said hello and have a good time this weekend.'

'I don't have anything, though, my passport and my stash of Amex traveller's cheques are at home...' She trailed off when Shane pointed to the glove box of the car. Alexis popped it open, found a zippered pouch the size of a large pencil case that not only had said items, but Shane's American passport as well, traveller's cheques and cash in American currency and another Alexis didn't recognize, and most tellingly, their tickets. She looked at the destination and thought she might pass out.

'We're flying to Miami?' she squeaked. 'Miami? For the whole week I'm off?'

'No. We're flying to Miami tonight then tomorrow morning we board a cruise ship to take us to Grand Bahama for two nights, return to Miami and fly home Monday at lunchtime.'

Alexis sat back in her seat, too stunned to really do much of anything. 'This is what you were working on all week, why every time I called you sounded so stressed and tense to hear me?'

'Yep, because I was convinced that someone would let it slip to you and then you would tell me to save my money.'

'Not at all. We both need this, you just as much as me, Shane.' Alexis picked up his hand, with its strong, working-man's texture and deft fingers; she kissed the delicate skin she found and murmured, 'We are in the gold and the shit together, remember?'

'Right you are, my sweet.'

'Just to be clear, we're not sleeping on the boat, right?'

'No,' Shane laughed; she was such a scaredy-cat of big boats, no matter how much she denied it. 'A couple hours tops. But the place we are staying on Grand Bahama, we are right across the street from the best swim-shop in the country, and if we want to, we can sign up for a gen-u-ine wreck dive!'

'Oh, that sounds like fun!' Alexis clapped her hands excitedly, the idea of this surprise trip growing on her by the nano-second. 'Shane, you are going to be the best husband, but...'

'But?' he prompted her.

'Well, if you're spoiling me like this when we're taking a break from the wedding and school stress, what are you going to be like when I'm pregnant?'

'You'll want to slap me around then bang me senseless and I am a-okay with that,' Shane laughed, earning a friendly punch in the shoulder for his quips before Alexis went quiet, playing with her phone. 'Whatcha up to, techie?'

'Using the roaming wifi to look up any famous wrecks in the area. We might get to go diving and then find some sunken treasure no one found yet on the reefs.'

'Always my bookworm.'

'Hey!'

'My adorable, sexy, redheaded bookworm,' Shane self-corrected, then winked at her. 'I also happened to stop by the Martinique Bath House, picked you up a couple new swimsuits. You will definitely like them for our private beach.'

'Private beach?'

'Yep, the weekend cottage we are renting has a private beach.'

'Okay, not that I want to start a fight, but where the hell is this money coming from to pay for this weekend extravagance?'

'Remember my parents gave us that money to use for the wedding at Passover? This is how we are using it. Not all of it, but a good chunk of it.'

'Oh, okay.' As Alexis had considered that a gift more for Shane than the both of them from Chaim and Shir, she had no qualms about how he was choosing to spend it since they were fairly close to the budget of their wedding as it was, even with the screwup on the tuxedos. 'So, you think RJ would like sea-shells or a boy's necklace for a gift?'

* * *

><p>'Okay, no big deal, just a boat. Just a boat taking you to a lovely, solid island.'<p>

Shane laughed as he listened to Alexis talk herself down while they boarded the _Caribbean Queen_ cruise ship set to take them down to Grand Bahama. The girl was very humble to admit her shortcomings, but the one she had a total blindspot on was her fear of large boats.

'Do we have a little cabin or private deck somewhere?' Alexis asked with a little yawn. 'It was way too bumpy on the flight down to get any sleep and I'm tired.'

'We have a little lounge for ourselves, it has a minibar and a very comfy chaise lounge according to the booking agent I spoke to.'

'Outstanding.'

Shane followed the directions of his brochure and they shortly found themselves in a starboard room the size of a single-room hotel suite with the promised minibar and lounging furniture. Alexis immediately dropped her bags and purse, and zeroed in

'Hello friend,' she told the chaise before flopping down and pounding the pillows to her liking. 'Shane my love, wake me when we're at port.'

With that, Alexis shut her eyes and didn't open them again until she felt Shane's hand gently brushing the hair from her cheek.

'Alexis, my little strawberry, welcome to the Bahamas,' he murmured and had to sit back when she sat up with a sudden jolt to avoid being head-butted.

'We're there?'

'Yeah, we're there. Let's go get you on that lovely solid island.'

They had their passports and luggage checked upon disembarkation, made their way to the line of taxis; a short trip later with a driver named Samuel whom they tipped generously, and they were standing in front of their cottage, a nifty little bungalow with stone and glass front and nothing but lush green leaves and exotic blossoms as far as the eye could see.

'Welcome to your island getaway,' Shane told her with a wink as he unlocked the door and they were hit with a cool refreshing breeze, along with the scent of fresh fruit. 'Oh that smells divine.'

'Doesn't it.'

Alexis wandered into the kitchen, admiring the view of the ocean right off of their patio. 'Oh, Shane, this is just perfect,' she sighed, looking around. Her eyes went wide when she saw the bottle of rum - her favourite brand - on the counter along with two glasses and a bowl of fresh fruit. 'I can't believe you did all this for me.'

'You're worth all of this and more. If I could, I would have flown us to Paris for the weekend, but alas, this will have to do.'

'Shane, I love you. Anything thoughtful from you means the world to me.' Alexis kissed him sweetly once, twice, and the third time she put a little more heat into it. 'What do you say we take that bottle of rum, skip the glasses and just take turns licking drops of it off of each other's fun places?'

'I say damn I am a lucky man to have a fiancee who thinks up naughty treats like that.'


	34. The Fiance Surprise II

The following morning Shane awoke to find the space beside him in bed empty and the scent of coffee and frying meat on the air. Man, she was something else, even on their vacation of nothing but relaxation, he thought with a glance at the clock - it was barely eight and she was already up making breakfast. Skipping his boxers, Shane followed his nose out to the kitchen, he saw his beloved standing by the stove, poking at a frying pan of bacon.

'Morning, my love,' she murmured when he came up behind her, arms around her waist and his lips on the back of her neck. 'Coffee's up.'

'So am I,' he murmured back, then turned her around. 'That bacon almost ready?'

'Yes, I'm just making sure it doesn't overcook. I also made fruit salad, it's chilling in the fridge.'

'You've been a busy little bee.'

Alexis nodded, then yawned sleepily. 'Yeah, I'm thinking snack time, then nap time on the beach. Then maybe we can check out that dive shop.'

'Alexis, we have tomorrow too, remember? If we wanted to lie on the beach all day today and crisp ourselves like that bacon, we can do that too.'

'I know, it's just...it's been awhile since I've done this, you know? Had a proper break.'

'I do know, it's why we came here. And with that in mind...'

Shane tugged on the belt of her robe, slipped his hands over her naked body beneath the loose-hanging fabric. He heard her sigh, then turned around in his arms.

'There's a condom in the left pocket of my kimono, Shane,' she told him, walking him backwards towards the empty kitchen table. 'What do you say we make use of it before we have a beach-side breakfast?'

A short while later, Alexis lay sprawled on Shane's chest listening to his heart thundering away. They hadn't made it to the table, instead just using the floor itself. 'I think we're going to have floor-burns,' she giggled, 'the way we were squirming around.'

'Well, now that we've worked up an appetite, why don't we go have that breakfast and then take a little swim?'

'Mmm. Diving tomorrow.'

'Oh I don't know,' Shane grinned at her with the innocence of a devil, 'I think you did some diving this morning.'

'Filthy. Absolutely filthy. But you're my filthy almost hubby.'

'With my equally naughty almost-wife.' He patted her ass to move her off of him and he sat up, disposed of the condom and washed his hands. 'You want a shower or what?'

'Actually, I was thinking we could cool off in the ocean. Right now.' Alexis wiggled her eyebrows at him when he looked over at her. 'Like naked little fish.'

Shane nibbled his lip, then quick as lightning, sprinted for the door. 'You get the towels, babe!' he called over his shoulder, making her laugh. It was so nice to be on vacation.

* * *

><p>They skinny-dipped most of the morning away, Alexis realized, once they'd gotten back to the house where they'd eventually rewarmed the bacon she'd made and scarfed it down while wrapped in their towels on the patio. Not wanting to become total beach creatures for the day, and since it was Saturday, they walked across the street from their cottage to the moped rental shack and headed down to the farmer's market in the plaza outside their parent hotel. Vendors of sweet fruit, racks of salted pork and biscuits, street food galore and of course trinkets of all shapes and sizes had the allure of a siren's song to Alexis. She never really got to go leisure shopping in Princeton so she was thrilled that Shane was letting her indulge herself now.<p>

'Oh, look at these!' Alexis dragged Shane over to a jewelery booth that was selling all kinds of hand-worked silver, gold and pewter trinkets. 'Grams would love this butterfly pin, don't you think? She's the only one I haven't bought something for.'

'I think she would love it.' Shane eyed up the different displays, then gave a little laugh when he saw a pair of his-and-hers rings. 'Hey, those look almost exactly like the ones we picked out at Maison Bijou. We could have saved some money and picked up our wedding rings here.'

'Newlyweds?' the vendor asked politely. 'For you a special price, each ring ten dollars.'

'I'll take them.' Shane fished out his money, handed it over in exchanged for the rings after a quick check of the size on their hands. 'Do you know of a nice quiet spot to get a drink.'

The vendor looked around, gestured him close. 'Go down to the man at the end of my row, he's got delicious French wine, tell him Barker sent you, he'll give you a discounted price.'

'What do you have on your mind?' Alexis asked him as they walked off.

'I was thinking we'd take a little sunset tour of the island on our moped, maybe have a drink on the beach. Sound good?'

'Sounds perfect.'

An hour later, after more wandering and the sunset moped tour, they were back on their private beach, the bottle of wine between them as they watched the setting sun light thousands of tiny diamonds over the water, turning the turquoise blue to a shimmering bronze.

'Can I tell you something Shane?'

'Always, Lex.'

'I thought about asking you to get paperwork in order for us to get married while we were here,' she murmured, eyes on the ocean. 'Then we wouldn't have to worry about anything going wrong on our day in New York, because we would already be married.'

'I thought about that too, but then I thought of how hurt our parents would be, how upset it would make RJ and Jojo, because you know if RJ starts crying, Jojo joins in sympathy.'

'Oh, I know, it's like they already share a brain-stem.' She laughed, then sighed. 'We still have those rings we got at the market, the silver ones. What if we had a little practice run, just to make sure we can get through saying our vows without crying?'

'Not possible,' Shane returned with a shake of his head. 'I know I'll be a mess. But...why don't we say what we'd say if we weren't doing traditional vows?'

'Okay.'

Heart thumping in anticipation, Alexis turned to him so they were facing each other, kneeling in the sand. She fished into her purse, drew out the rings from the simple brown paper bag the vendor had put them in for her. Taking the one meant for Shane, she held it in her hand and gave him a small smile.

'When you came into my life, I was dazzled, at how easy it was to talk to you, at how well we connected. Then I was dazzled by how sweet and patient you were with me about the intimacies of our relationship, how you never pushed me to do things I was uncomfortable with. I was dazzled at how our love grew and matured into the relationship we have now, and now I'm dazzled by the adventures of a life we are starting together on this day.'

She slipped the ring over his finger. 'And I love you.'

Shane cleared his throat, found the simple ring he'd picked out for her and held out to her as she had for him. 'Alexis, there is no way on earth to describe to you what I felt when you first walked into that coffee shop almost four years ago. It didn't even feel like a first cautious date it felt like it was already our routine. And then on our third date, that first kiss told me everything I needed to know. You were it for me, and you will always be it for me until the day I die. And I love you,' he finished, slipped the matching feminine ring onto her slim finger.

They leaned into each other, sharing a kiss exactly like the one Shane had described from their first date. When they broke apart, Shane watched the happy little clouds in her eyes clear as she offered him that beautiful, winning smile.

'This is just about the most perfect moment,' Alexis murmured, wiggling her toes in the warm sand. 'This is what I hope we get in six weeks time.'

'Alexis.' Shane sighed her name, stroking his hand over her hair. 'There's something else I've been thinking on.'

'What's that?'

'If you really want it, we can have southern comfort food for the rehearsal dinner.'

'Really?'

'Yes, ma'am. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, sweet corn, the works. Even peach pie.'

'Okay. And we can have the dinner on one of those yachts that goes around Liberty Island.'

Shane looked at her, surprised. 'Seriously?'

'If I'm getting fried chicken, you can have a little big boat.'

'A little big boat, such a way with words.' Shane nudged her in the shoulder, then took her hand, felt their rings click against each other when he threaded his fingers through hers. 'What do you say, wife, are you feeling up for a snack?'

'Music to my ears.'

'Great because there is a nice little bbq and rotisserie spot right beside the moped rental shack.'

Alexis smiled at her husband, well her 'husband'. 'That sounds nice, but I was referring to you calling me your wife, hubby.'

'That's even better.'

'You won't judge me if I have the rotisserie chicken and the barbecued mutton, right? And two helpings of guava duff?'

'Of course not.' Shane helped her to her feet, pulled her close. 'I'm glad to have my Lex back.'

'I'm glad to be back.'


	35. The Airport Omen

Shane clenched and unclenched his fingers as he saw the New York skyline come into view, then looked at Alexis who was zoned out completely with her iPod. He envied her the ability to be so calm while hovering above Earth in a diesel-fueled tin can with wings. He wondered if Meredeth's shrink could recommend a hypnotherapist to help him work out this issue before he drove Alexis nuts on their honeymoon which involved no less than four flights, two of which were trans-Atlantic.

Once the captain made the announcement about their flight preparing to land, Shane poked her in the shoulder, not unlike RJ would.

'Alexis, we're landing,' he hissed, tugging out the cord of her earbud.

'Okay. I'm going to the ladies room as soon as we land. We'll have the luggage delivered, since all the important stuff like my laptop and the souvenirs are right here anyways,' she replied with a little yawn. Alexis loathed falling asleep on planes but it was the only way she knew of to make the endless sitting go much faster. 'You want a Valium or do you still have your Coke?'

Shane held up the bottle that was a little Coke and a lot of bourbon. 'I'll take a few hits of this. Are your folks still meeting us?'

'Of course and apparently RJ has a little surprise for us.'

'Of course he does.'

Alexis simply held out her hand and wasn't surprised when her husband- no her fiance, he was still her fiance in the eyes of American law until July eighth - and wasn't surprised when he slapped his clammy palm against hers, began to mumble the same prayer in Hebrew he always used during takeoffs and landings.

'I'm getting better,' he insisted as they deboarded, headed for the gates; they didn't have to worry about luggage as it was being delivered to the apartment where Body was house-sitting and would take possession of it for them. 'This time I didn't throw up in the men's room after landing.'

'That's you didn't.'

When they stepped through the doors at the arrivals gate, Alexis knew she could have been blind and she still would have seen the welcome home from the family - RJ had made a little chauffeur's sign on a piece of neon yellow bristol board and with a little obvious help from Beckett, had written 'Alexis and Shane' in chunky black letters.

Beckett herself was there too, rocking Jojo's pram back and forth to keep the baby settled in the large crowd of people, while Castle held up the brother-in-law to-be with his little sign that he waved like a banner of war.

'Now that's one hell of a welcome home,' Shane laughed as he followed Alexis over to them. He watched RJ squirm against Castle in an effort to be released from his father's grip and when the writer put his son on his feet, he scampered towards them, sign clutched tight in his hand.

'Alessis! Shane! You home!' RJ threw his arms around one then the other, still waving his sign. 'Daddy say we make it fancy fo' you! I no' geddit.'

'Ah, well, see when fancy and important people go to airports sometimes a car is sent over for them. The driver of the car who is also called a chauffeur, holds up a sign with their name on it so they know they have a limousine or something like that waiting for them,' Shane explained, crouching down to scoop up his favourite under-five.

'Well, you guys fancy an' im'ortan',' RJ declared, patting Shane's chest lightly, 'we be you' shoo-fa today.'

'Sasasasa,' Jojo agreed from her pram, kicking her adorably chubby legs. 'Sasasa?'

'Yes, we'll go home soon, Jojo,' Beckett cooed at her little girl, then pointed at Castle. 'Take over.'

'Yes ma'am,' Castle replied with a jaunty salute, gently moving Jojo's pram which allowed Beckett to give Shane and Alexis hugs that echoed RJ's - tight, squeezing with the addition of a slight rock back and forth.

'Oh, you guys look amazing, and refreshed, Alexis, you look the best I've seen you all year.'

'That's good, I'll need it for exams,' she replied.

'Where's your luggage?' Castle asked.

'Having it delivered to home, we want to take you all out for a bite to eat to talk wedding stuff.'

Castle and Beckett each gave a little cheer, as did RJ who insisted on take one eachof Alexis and Shane's hands, walking between them and looking up at them while they left the airport.

'You sup-ah suh-pise, Alessis?' RJ asked his sister.

'I was super surprised. I had no idea Shane was planning something so nice for me.'

'He say-a me, Ah-Shay, I gonna suh-pise Alessis. You think she like Ba-mama or Sha-maica?'

Alexis looked at Shane who nodded. 'You asked a three and a half year old for travel ideas?'

'If it makes you feel better, he asked a stuffed rabbit for advice. But that's neither here nor there since I knew I'd go with Bahamas because we could take the boat.'

'Alessis 'faid of boats,' RJ informed Shane. 'She no like'em.'

'And Shane's afraid of flying,' Castle pointed out to his son as they reached the rental counter for Shane and Alexis. 'Their trip involved one of each.'

'Huh. You 'faid an' 'till go?'

'That's right, RJ, because when you love someone, you face your fears,' Shane told him and RJ frowned.

'I love my Tah-rini an'...an' suh-times Arturo 'care me. He way big. An' I 'till go ah-cause I wanna see Tah-rini.'

'Something like that,' Beckett agreed, picking Jojo up when she began to fuss a little bit. 'What is up little princess?'

'Sasasasa,' Jojo burbled cheerfully and stretched her arms towards Alexis, making the young woman's heart melt.

'Oh, you wanna come for a little cuddle?'

'Sasasasa.'

The little girl curled against Alexis' chest lovingly, reached out her chubby little hand to grip Alexis' long red hair. 'Sasasa.'

'She tuh-ryin' say you' name, Alessis!' RJ reached out to rub Jojo's small leg. 'Sho-sho, you say 'Alessis?'

'It's okay, RJ,' Beckett laughed. 'It will be another few months before Jojo is talking.'

'But she 'mart, Mumum, she tuh-ryin' hard!'

Alexis kissed her sister who was wriggling like a little eel, then handed her back to Beckett so she could crouch down and give RJ a big hug as well. 'RJ, just trust us, when she's ready she will talk. And she's a Castle like you and me, so you know once she starts talking she won't ever stop.'

'Like me?'

'Exactly. Which reminds me. I should check my phone, see if there are any people who wanted to talk to me while I was gone.'

'Man, you really went away on vacation, huh?' Castle commented as Shane signed for the rental. 'Not even the cellphone was on?'

'I needed to get away, and oh wow, I've got a tonne of missed calls. That'll teach me to go off-grid for three days,' Alexis laughed, taking her phone out of her purse. Her good humour died instantly when she saw it was alternating Sloan and Garrett's cellphone numbers. She didn't bother checking the messages they had obviously left. 'Come on, pick up, pick up, pick- Sloan! Where are you, are you okay?'

'I've been trying to call you since last night,' she replied, sounding out of breath. 'My water broke just before midnight.'

'Oh my god! I've been out of the country, I had my cell off, I thought you weren't due until this week!'

'Well Junior's getting started early. Can you be here, please? Garrett...he's really emotional and I could use someone sane.'

'Of course, you're at George Washington, right? We'll be there as quickly as possible.'

Alexis hung up the phone, shoved at her hair as she looked at her worried family. 'Looks like we might have to wait on lunch for a moment. Sloan's in labour. She said...she said Garrett's really emotional and that's not like him.'

'I'll come with you and Shane,' Castle insisted. 'Never hurts to have a more senior adult around when the young new parents are freaked out.'

'I'll get some take away food, meet you there,' Beckett added, and put a hand on Alexis' shoulder. 'Women have babies all the time every day. Sloan will be fine.'

'I know, I just...I want to get there and see her.' But even as she said it, Alexis couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in her gut. She had the feeling this night was going to be a very bumpy one.

She went with Shane and her father out to the rental lot while Beckett took Jojo and RJ back to the parking tower, slipped into the passenger seat without a second thought. It was only when Castle leaned forward between the seats while Shane drove that Alexis felt the weirdness of it.

'Lex, what didn't you say in front of your mother and siblings?' he asked, reading her perfectly.

'Garrett's getting unstable and that's not him at all. Something isn't right there, and I know I'll feel better when I see her.'

Shane nodded, glanced in his rear view mirror. 'Think Kate will get me out of a speeding ticket if I floor it?'

'I doubt it. Besides, a slower drive will help us figure out a plan of attack.'

'It's not a raid with the Ry-Sposito monster in SWAT gear, Dad,' Alexis reminded him, twisting in her seat to give him a look.

'I know, but everyone's emotions run high when a woman's in labour. When you two have your own babies, you'll know what I mean.'


	36. The Birthing Suite Breakup

They were able to get into the maternity ward without too much hassle, while Castle parked the car, and with every step, Alexis' heart was pounding.

'This is how I imagine you feel in airplanes, Shane,' Alexis murmured in the elevator, watching the numbers ding past until they reached floor eight. She was out of the lift car like a shot and marching straight towards the nurse's desk at such a clip Shane nearly had to sprint to keep up with her.

'Alexis, it'll be fine.'

'Now say it like you're trying to convince me and not yourself. Garrett!'

Alexis' called out her friend's common-law spouse's name as he stepped into the hallway with his cellphone in hand. He snapped it shut and advanced towards them.

'You,' he snarled at Alexis, pointing a shaking finger at him. 'You have some nerve, you bitch, ignoring your so-called best friend like that all weekend.'

'Hey, watch your mouth, man,' Shane said, instinctively leaping to defend his woman's honour.

'Stay out of this, it's between me and Alexis.' Garrett's stance was combative, his expression thunderous. 'You knew Sloan was close to popping and you weren't there for her like she's been there for you the last how many months, busting her ass planning for your wedding.'

'Sloan stepped down as my maid of honour almost two months ago, Garrett, because I didn't want her to feel obligated to help me out while she was getting towards the end of her pregnancy!' Alexis hissed.

'The hell you have, you're nothing but a spoiled selfish little brat, like I've always told her. I tried to warn her about you but she wouldn't listen to me. God, I have never met someone so self-involved.'

'Self-involved? I am in medical school, I am living away from my fiance and family and friends, Garrett, and studying pretty much around the clock.'

'Then why weren't you answering her yesterday?'

'I am on my reading week and I was on a trip with my fiance.'

Garrett let out a sharp laugh. 'I don't believe you. I'm supposed to feel sympathy for you, you snotty little cunt?'

At the use of the C-word, a thin red haze coated Alexis vision and she actually shoved her jacket sleeves up as she stepped up towards Garrett. 'You listen to me you son of a-'

But she was already being shoved sideways and she heard the sharp crack of bone and cartilage, watched Shane stumble backwards with a hand pressed against his face as blood fountained from his nose. 'Jesus, Garrett, are you crazy?' Alexis hollered at him.

'He deserved it, and-'

'Hey!'

All three turned towards the sound of Castle's voice and for the first time in her life, Alexis felt fear at the sight of her father. His eyes were burning hot as he all but sprinted down the hall. He blew past Alexis and Shane like they were mannequins and drilled his finger into Garrett's chest.

'You _ever_ lay hands on my son-in-law, or you even _think_ about speaking to my daughter like that and I will end you. No one treats my family like that.' Castle lowered his voice, changed his tone from outrage to disbelief in a heartbeat. 'Where's your head at, Garrett? Sloan is having your baby today, she doesn't need you out here acting like a caveman, throwing punches and slurs around.'

'But-'

'No, no buts Garrett. You are becoming a father today, and your girlfriend, wife, whatever you want to call her, needs you by her side. She doesn't need you doing this.'

'I'm going to go in and see her, Shane, are you okay?'

'I'll take care of him, you go sit with your friend, honey,' Castle told his daughter gently, then clapped Shane on the shoulder. 'Come on, we'll go get you fixed up.'

Alexis didn't bother looking back at her father and her hubby, as she knew the former would take care of the latter with as much love as if it were herself that were injured. Turning on her heel and walking past Garrett she went into Sloan's room and let out a little cry when she saw Sloan puffing out little breaths as she worked her way through a contraction. When it was over, Sloan's pain-and-drug dulled eyes flicked towards the door and brightened slightly when she saw Alexis there.

'Lexy,' she sighed, shifting her body. 'Oh, you made it in time.'

'Sloan, sweetie, I am so sorry I wasn't here sooner.'

'I was trying to reach you, where have you been?' Sloan asked sadly, eyes filling up.

'Shane surprised me Friday afternoon with a trip to the Bahamas for the weekend. I was out of the country until this morning, we just landed at JFK when I called you.'

Sloan reached out, patted her friend's hand. 'Lex, I didn't even come to the hospital until this morning. My water was late breaking so it's not like you missed much. Me walking around the apartment yelling at Garrett to stop being such a disgustingly selfish bastard. God, I am so angry at him! He was acting like I was a big suck because I was having contractions and since plenty of women around the world use no pain drugs and make it just fine I should stop my bitching. His words, I might add,' she tacked on, tucking a rope of her long black hair behind her ear.

'Well, then maybe you might not want to hear what he just did to Shane.'

'Why, what the fuck did he do now?'

'He broke Shane's nose, when he went to take a swing at me and Shane got between us,' Alexis replied bluntly, shocked to hear Sloan's strong language. Sloan could be accused of being many unladylike things but a trucker mouth was not one of them. 'Sloan? What's been going on that you haven't been telling me?'

'In a minute.'

Sloan watched as Garrett came in the room, the knuckles of his right hand raw and red. 'What is wrong with your hand, Garrett?'

'I punched a wall,' he replied numbly. 'Why is she here? I don't want her around you.'

'You didn't punch a wall, you broke Shane Weaver's nose, you fucking moron,' Sloan sneered, shaking her head. 'And that's it. I've had it with you. You've been nothing but belittling and condescending to me since Christmas and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of you thinking I don't need special attention, that I don't need extra rest because of the changes in my body and I'm sure as shit sick of you thinking that being there for me during the delivery means handing out cigars in the waiting room while the nurses do their 'sister magic' on me.'

Alexis held her tongue even as tears spilled over. Had she really become that insufferable that she hadn't listened to her best friend when things had gotten this rough for her at home? The thought was pushed from her mind as another thought jammed in - no wonder Sloan had been relieved to be relieved of maid of honour duty. She went to slip away to give Garrett and Sloan their privacy but found herself anchored into position by Sloan's iron grip on her arm.

'Do you have anything to say for yourself, Garrett?'

'Sloan, come on, you're making way to o big a deal of this. The guy had it coming,' Garrett started, and Sloan waved her hands definitively.

'No, Garrett. No I'm going to guess he didn't. And that's it for me. I can't take you acting like this anymore, it makes me fear for my own mental health and safety, and for the safety of the baby.'

'You can't do this alone, Sloan.'

'I would rather be a single mother to this child, than raise it with you if you think punching someone after you used the most foul disgusting language against my best friend when she didn't deserve it is acceptable role-model behaviour.'

'Fine, you want to be a stubborn bitch? Go ahead, I hope you and the little runt are happy on your own because you won't get anything from me. I'm outta here.'

And just like that, Alexis watched as a six-year relationship crumbled to dust. It felt like a tornado had gone through the birthing suite and just as Sloan looked around, the gravity of what she'd done hitting home, her faced pokered up at the next contraction.

'Lex,' she whimpered; god it hurt, even with the drugs.

'It's okay, Sloan, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere.'

* * *

><p>As Alexis helped Sloan with her contractions, Shane and Castle sat waiting in the ER for the doctor to clean up Shane's face, assess the damage and give him a painkiller prescription. God his face ached, Shane thought Garrett might have been a small guy but he packed one hell of a right jab.<p>

Beside him, Castle had finished filling in the information on his health background and sat with his hand fold in his lap. 'What exactly precipitated this little throw-down?' he asked, hoping he didn't sound like an interfering father in law.

'Garrett got in Alexis' face, started telling her how she was an awful friend to Sloan who didn't deserve to see her, et cetera et cetera, and then he called her a...the C-word, and Alexis got in his face. I stepped in to break it up so he wouldn't punch her and took the hit in my face instead of hers.'

'You're a good man, Shane Weaver,' Castle replied.

'I just hope that Sloan's okay. It...Alexis is worried about her, I feel like there should be more that we could have done for her, you know?'

'Hindsight gets you nowhere fast, Shane. All you can do is assess the situation here and now, and move forward.'


	37. The Hospital Support

By the time Shane was back from getting his nose fixed, he found Alexis sitting with Sloan as she panted her way through another contraction. They looked over at him when Sloan took a rest against her pillows and Alexis visibly winced.

'Ouch,' she commented. 'Still sore?'

'ER doc froze it, wrote up some pills for me. How are you doing, Sloan?'

'So mixed up,' she told him. 'I threw Garrett out, so it's just me and baby now.'

'For today or for good?'

'For good,' Sloan replied, rubbing the harden lump of her belly with a gentle hand. 'I'll take him to court or get a restraining order if I have to but I don't think it will come to that.'

'How the hell did things get so badly quickly, Sloan?' Castle asked her in concern.

'Right around the time I felt the baby move, back near Christmas, everything started to change with him. He suddenly realized that it was really happening, that I was having a baby and he started getting cold, distant. He started telling me things like I shouldn't be so sensitive or so dramatic, lashing out at me. He stopped coming to doctor's appointments.'

She sighed, tried to get the words out without sounding melodramatic. 'I knew it was over when he refused to come to Lamaze classes with me last month, and when the doctor told me that my baby was going to be at least two weeks overdue, that I might have to be induced, I was relieved because it mean I had more time to figure out how to tell Garrett I didn't want him in the baby's life or in mine anymore.'

'Sloan, I wished you'd said something, I could have helped you out, a phone call more a week or an email, a thinking of you bouquet of flowers.' Alexis wiped at the tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. 'But like Dad says.'

'What can we do now,' Shane asked her, rubbing her foot with brotherly affection.

'I...I don't have anyone to coach me in the delivery and I could use a friendly face.'

'I'll be there,' Castle replied without hesitation. 'I've been a coach three times, I know what to do. Alexis and Shane can bring you whatever you need until you go into delivery.'

'The last time the doctor was in was just before you guys got here, she said I'm at seven centimetres and it won't be long now.' Sloan let out a shuddering breath and she began to cry in earnest. 'Oh, God, how am I going to do this?'

'We are here for you, Sloan.' Alexis sat on the edge of her friend's bed, put her arms around her and held her tight, stroked her hair. 'You have a brush? I can put this up for you.'

'That'd be nice.'

Alexis nodded, then went to Sloan's bag while Shane patted the pregnant woman's foot. 'I'll stand watch outside the door, make sure Garrett doesn't try to come back.'

'Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you.'

Shane gave her a small smile, the best he could manage with his busted-up face, then stepped into the hallway only to see Beckett and RJ walking down the hallway, holding hands and Beckett with a cloth grocery bag. 'I called Lanie, she's got Jojo at her place. What happened to you?'

'You have an oushie,' RJ added.

'No, Sloan's boyfriend Garrett said some very mean things to Alexis, and he looked like he was going to hit her so I stepped in between them and he broke my nose.'

Both Beckett and RJ's eyes popped to triple their normal size. 'He hit you?' she asked, flabbergasted.

'He mean-a Alessis?' RJ added indignantly, and dropped his mother's hand to move over to Shane. He poked his index finger sharply into Shane's thigh. 'Where he now?' he demanded. 'I fix him, no one mean-a my Alessis.'

'Easy tiger,' Beckett chuckled, stepped over to take RJ's hand so he wouldn't take off on a John MacLane style revenge mission. 'Where are my daughter and husband now?'

'Both still in with Sloan. Rick said he was going to be in the room with Sloan, as her coach.' Shane paused. 'She said she had no one with her during her Lamaze classes.'

'He's a good coach, he'll be great helping her out. I brought food, salad and things for sandwiches and drinks.'

'No juicies, haffa use big-boy cups.'

'Yes, RJ, we'll use the big-boy cups.'

'Mumum, we say hi Suh-loan, hi bumpy?'

Beckett looked at her son, shook her head. 'Not right now, my little prince. Sloan is almost ready to have the baby, and she needs to save her energy to make sure it gets here safely.'

'Like my Sho-sho?'

'Exactly.'

'Okay. Mumum, it okay I 'tay wit' Shane?'

'Just for a few minutes,' Beckett relented, then went down the hallway to the lounge.

Alone with his future brother-in-law, RJ saw a plastic chair down the hallway, and shoved it over to sit beside Shane. 'You needing some bro-time, buddy?' the doctor asked.

'Yes Shane, I nee' buh-ro time. Suh-loan be okay?'

'Yeah, she'll be fine. She's scared right now but we'll all make sure she knows how much we love her and her baby. What do you think she'll have, a boy or a girl?'

'Hmmm.' RJ mulled this over, then looked up at Shane. 'A boy. An' he gonna be Sho-sho see-hot. You an' Alessis haffa baby soon?'

'Not yet, buddy,' Shane chuckled, ignoring the way his face ached as he did so. 'Remember, what has to come first?'

'Firs' be a buh-ride, then a dotta, then a mumum. She ah-mos' a buh-ride, righ'?'

'That's right.'

'An' you ah-mos' a 'room.' RJ frowned in concentration once more, looked up at Shane once more. 'Shane?'

'Yes RJ.'

'You be a goo' daddy.'

'Oh you think so?' Intrigued, as RJ had never really mentioned this before, Shane turned to the little boy with all seriousness. 'What makes you think that?'

'Ah-cause you nice an' funny, and you puh-lay wit' Sho-sho an' she laugh, an' you always say we follow rules an' 'tay safe. Like my daddy.'

'That's the best thing you've said all day.'

'Gassy. We have ice cuh-ream soon?'

And there was the little boy's impishness coming out, the one that came directly from his father, Shane thought. But since he knew the need for reassurance when he didn't know what was really going on, the older man nodded at the younger one. 'Tell you what, tomorrow afternoon, when your sister needs quiet for studying and reading, you and I will go to Roscoe's Sugar Shack, how does that sound?'

'Really?' RJ's heart beat wildly with hope. Roscoe's was a place for very special occasions that called for the city's best ice cream. 'We take it home an' share wit' Sho-sho?'

'No, she's still too little, buddy.'

'But...ice cuh-ream made wit' milk, an' Sho-sho have milk all-a time!'

'Not the same kind of milk, plus remember, we warm up Jojo's milk. Ice cream is frozen, right?'

'Oh yeah. Alessis!'

RJ leaped off his chair when he saw his sister, gave her a hug. 'Alessis, you say-a Suh-loan, it okay, no be 'cared, we love you?'

'I sure did, and I will tell her that once her bumpy is here.'

'Where Daddy?'

'He's still in there with Sloan, he's going to be there to tell her everything is okay while the baby is being born.'

'He a good daddy. Guess wha', Alessis? Shane an' me haffin' buh-ro time tomorrow,' he told her as they went towards the lounge, leaving Shane on guard in case of Garrett's return.

'Are you?'

'Uh-huh, he say you gotta 'tudy, so we goin' to Ros'oe's!'

'Aren't you the lucky little boy. But remember, you have to double check with Mom.'

'Okay. Mumum!' RJ marched over to his mother when they reached the door of the lounge, patted her knee as she set her sandwich onto the paper plate she's found. 'It okay I have buh-ro time wit' Shane ah-morrow?'

'I think that would be a great idea.'

As RJ chattered about going to Roscoe's with his brother-in-law, Beckett sent Alexis a look. 'Bet you weren't expecting to come home to this, huh?'

'Actually, all things considered, it's the best welcome home I could want.'

'Alessis, you 'nacky? You wan' a sah-wish?'

'I'd love a sandwich,' Alexis told her little brother. 'You want to make it for me?'

'Yea!'

'Hold that thought. Rick, what's up?'

They all looked over to Castle, who had changed into a natty pair of pale green scrubs and was standing at the door. 'Hey guys, just wanted to let you know the doctor's come in and seen Sloan, she's ready to deliver the baby so they're taking her to delivery now. Alexis, she wants to see you before she goes.'

Alexis rose, followed her father out. She felt a little hitch in her chest when she saw Sloan looking so little and lost as the orderlies brought her bed into the hallway to move her to the delivery room. Shane was there murmuring to her, and looked up, nodded at Alexis; she came over and kissed her friend's brow.

'I love you honey, I'll see you and baby soon. You'll be just fine.'


	38. The Groom Anxiety

'This feels funny.'

'What?'

'Having cards night after not seeing the guys at work for almost a month.'

Castle only rolled his eyes and shuffled cards for the poker game they were going to indulge in. Shane, whether he realized it or not, was getting more and more antsy the closer they got to the wedding. Of course, it could also be the fact that the following Tuesday, he would be going to Princeton for two weeks to be with Alexis while she was sitting her finals, and his focus would be making sure she didn't go completely insane.

But tonight was not the night to worry about those kinds of things. Tonight was about the fact he had the loft to himself for the boys to come over for cards and manly discussions. Beckett and Jojo were going to Meredeth's for the evening, and while RJ was more than a little put out at not getting to see Trini, it was quickly replaced when he learned that Dell had invited him for a boys-sleepover. Then he hadn't been able to get out of the house fast enough.

Now the grown-ups had the place to themselves, though Castle was beginning to feel a bit like a babysitter himself the way Shane was buzzing around.

'You know,' he said conversationally, 'when you get wedding-edgy, you and Alexis flutter around the room the same way.'

'Flutter? I am a pathologist and an ex-pilot from the Israeli Air Force-'

'Who has a severe phobia of flying.'

'Whatever, the point is I am a certified bad-ass. And certified bad-asses do not flutter.'

'Shane it's okay to flutter,' Castle reminded him, reaching to the side board and grabbing a bottle of chilled beer. 'You are getting married, it's a big step.'

'I know, but I woke up this morning and I saw that it was June twelfth and it hit me. I'm going to be a married man in less than a month.'

'Bet that was a pretty wicked rush, huh?'

His knees had nearly buckled but there was no reason to let Castle know that, Shane decided and nodded complacently. 'Shane and Alexis Weaver. You think if she winds up working with the cops, they'll call her Lady Doctor Weaver like with Daniel and Andrea?'

'I have no idea.' The man truly was a goner, Castle thought, getting up to answer the knock at the door. He opened it to Ryan and Dave together, grinned like the Cheshire Cat. 'Welcome to the groom nut house.'

'See, that's one of the perks of eloping,' Ryan chipped in, giving Shane a slap on the back as he selected a drink from the sideboard. 'The jitters come afterward.'

'We thought about doing that, when we were in the Bahamas, but then we thought that would just create more problems than solve them.' Shane scratched his cheek; he never seemed to know what to do with his hands these days. 'It would feel like we were taking the easy way out from the problems, not to mention the fact we'd be breaking about a million and a half promises being so selfish.'

'You know I'd never hear the end of it from RJ if he missed the wedding,' Castle reminded him. 'And you would be forced to deal with one very pissed off three and a half year old.'

'I don't think I've ever seen that kid upset,' Dave commented, making his friend shake his head with pursed lips.

'Clearly, you missed the time when Kate put Omeo in the wash with the towels to freshen him up. RJ cried the entire time the washer and dryer were running and didn't shut up until Omeo was back in his arms safe and sound. You'd have thought someone stabbed him in the head the way he was carrying on.'

'Poor little guy. Sounds like Dell when he accidentally left Rex at his grandparents back at Easter.' Ryan sipped his beer. 'We had to go all the way back to the Bronx to my parents' house which of course made Mally go off like a siren because she was so tired and strung out on chocolate she just wanted to go to bed.'

'How is Mally doing these days with her animal protest?' Castle asked, having learned of the little girl's meat-free streak from Shane.

'Oh good God. I think Jenny is going to strangle her soon. She's gone from being sensitive to righteous, or as righteous as a three and a half year old can be.'

Shane thought of RJ giving him what-for over kissing Alexis. 'We have an idea. Go on.'

'This week, she watched Jenny making a chicken salad sandwich for Dell's lunch and she started saying 'poor shickens, Mama, say 'gassy' fo' the shicken souls.' I thought she was bad when she started mooing over the spaghetti and meatballs.'

'Welcome to my world, bro,' Esposito said dryly, taking the shuffled cards from Castle and dealing them. 'Now you get what I had to put up with when Jenny was pregnant and you were standing in solidarity with her on her no animals kick.'

'Speaking of pregnant, how's Sloan doing?' Ryan asked Shane. 'I still can't believe her boyfriend turned out to be such an asshole.'

'Some men love the idea of their girlfriend being pregnant, and then can't handle what that really means once they understand the baby's on the way,' Castle pointed out, tossing chips into the middle of the table. 'I'm in.'

'I'm out.' Shane threw down his cards, reached for his beer. 'Sloan is doing fine, and so is little Devon.'

'That's going to be a rough road, a single mom with a baby boy,' Esposito commented.

'Well, Sloan's tough, you know? She can handle a lot of shit, and she loves being a mom so far. It's easier now that Devon's getting into a routine. Alexis has been calling her every day and making me take RJ over at least twice a week for a play date so Sloan can get some rest or do some chores and errands.'

'Really? She's had Lanie check in on her too,' Dave commented, then looked at Esposito, 'and I think Mere's done a little cooking for her as well, hasn't she?'

'Yep, made her come for a visit with Devon and sent her home with the cooler bag full of casseroles and soups to put in the freezer for easy healthy meals.'

'Are you sure Alexis isn't Wonder Woman, Shane?' Ryan asked teasingly.

'I'm sure. Excuse me a moment,' he replied as his cellphone rang and he stepped away to take the call. Back at the table, all the men looked at each other with excited, knowing grins.

'That man is in total denial,' Esposito said, making Dave confused.

'Denial about what?'

'That he's got pre-wedding jitters. The good kind, the hurry-up-and-get-here kind.'

'I know, it's all over his face, and before you say it-' Ryan pointed at his partner '-I renewed my vows with Jenny just last September, and we had a full and proper wedding ceremony so yes I do know what I'm talking about.'

Esposito held up his hands in surrender, threw in a few more chips to the table. 'Didn't say a word, bro.'

'Now that you mention it, I do recall the entire week before marrying Lanie I wanted to eat nothing but waffles with peach jelly and Fresca. It was my stress food at university,' Dave added when they all looked at him. 'I just thought I was avoiding turkey. Problem?'

Shane returned to the table, sat down as he bounced his phone against his palm. 'Nope, just Faisal letting me know that my wedding present for Lex is ready, it was delivered on the last truck of the night to his store. Anyone want a snack?'

'Shane, dude, it's okay,' Castle told him as he flipped over the cards on the table, making Dave and Esposito groan and Ryan cheer as he raked in the chips. 'We've all been there, and being nervous before your wedding is totally normal.'

'I'm not nervous,' he protested but it died when the others at the table simple looked at him. 'Okay, maybe a little.'

'What is there left to get put into place?'

'Seating chart for the reception, finalize the menu for the dinner, pick up table favours for the reception, finalize the song list with the DJ, do the announcement for the _Ledger_, pick up tickets for the honeymoon, pack for the honeymoon, but it's all planned, said and done. Just the final things to go over.'

'Alexis has her dress already?' Esposito asked and Shane nodded.

'Andrea is holding it at her place, Body has the wedding rings, we've got our speeches selected, and Rabbi Oliver has met with Body and Andrea to go over their roles in the ceremony, and-'

'Shane, slow down man,' Dave laughed. 'Have a drink.'

'No, no alcohol, hasn't been agreeing with me lately. Too antsy about seeing Alexis next week.'

'Ah, yes, she is going to be happy to see you, I bet.'

'You're filthy,' Shane replied without a single hesitation, making the Ry-Sposito monster laugh and Castle blush bright red.

'This is why I won't be there on the strippers night of the bachelor party send off, Shane. I don't care how open we are in this family, Alexis is still my firstborn baby girl and it was hard enough to learn she wasn't a..nope, can't even finish that sentence.'

'I simply meant that Alexis will be thankful to come home after her hard hours of studying to her man,' Dave said, then winked. 'But I'm sure the other thing you were thinking will be a nice way to...relieve stress.'


	39. The Exam Pick Me Up

Shane lifted the lid on the crock-pot lid, gave its contents a sniff. He knew that despite what the thermometer said, Alexis would love a pot of chilli for dinner with some roasted potatoes. When she was stressed, she went for foods that were hearty but easily eaten and given that her exam the next day was pharmacology she would want something like this.

Leaving the pot be, he went back to the living room table and continued with his bristol board seating chart. He'd taken his cue from Alexis on this one and had made name tags consisting of push-pins in mini-marshmallows to move them around the board like a mutant game of _Clue_. They'd worked on it a little bit together the previous day when Alexis had needed to take a break from the books, and now he would finish it so she could smile at least once before her most hellacious exam.

He heard the front door locks tumble open and he looked up, gave her a smile as she walked in. 'Hello, my love.'

'Hi baby, smells good in here.'

'Chilli, I figured you'd like some comfort food before your pharmacology exam tomorrow.'

'Oh can we put it on top of something deep-fried?'

'Sure.' As Alexis wasn't really one for junk foods while she studied - pizza she didn't count, for some reason - Shane got up from his spot and came over to help her with her laptop bag. 'What's brought this on?'

'First, juice me.'

Shane smiled, gave her a kiss and went to the fridge where he found a beer for himself and a juice box for her; Alexis liked the innocent comfort of them. 'Okay now spill your guts which you obviously want to do.'

'Pharmacology study group, since it's shorter. We split into two groups for the first part of our study session today, so those of us who were still struggling with some of the material could get our heads together and figure it out. And I'm finally getting it, so this is going to make studying tonight so much more easier to handle.'

'Well normally I would say we can have a stripper-quiz going over the info but since it's pharmacology, we can save the sexy-times for bedtime tonight.'

'Only you can make it sound like we're talking about chocolate cake we're saving for a midnight snack.'

'Not chocolate cake. Strawberry shortcake...or cherry pie,' he added with an eyebrow-wiggling leer that made Alexis snort with laughter.

'You are filthy, and I love you for it.' She gave him a kiss that lingered.

'Mm love you too, even when you taste like grape juice. What's news number two?'

'Benton told me he respected my decision to turn down the pilot project, saying he understood I wanted to get more clinical time since that was my strength according to my supervisor's reports as well. But he said he's going to write me a letter of recommendation for my portfolio.'

'That's fantastic, Lex.' He pulled her in for a tight embrace, rocked her back and forth. 'Now I understand the need for the deep-fried food. Why don't we order something from that deli you love, and we can go over wedding stuff while we wait, then eat with a little television, and then you can go over your most critical points with a rested mind and a full belly.'

'It's Rosen's Hot Deli and that sounds great.'

* * *

><p>True to his word, Shane did put the notion of sexy-times out of his head; he'd been extra charged-up for her lately, but he was finally realizing what Castle and the others at the card game the week before had pointed out to him - he was nervous as hell about the wedding, and the way his body seemed to want to help him deal with it was to bang his fiancee's brains out every possible chance he got.<p>

Still she had more important things to worry about other than satisfying his libido right now, he mused as he stood in the shower underneath the hot spray. Pharmacology was her nemesis and Alexis wanted to be sharp as a tack for that one. Everyone had their one course every year in school that made them want to hide in the corner. His had been physics in his undergrad, in medical school neurology. And he would surprise Alexis outside the lecture hall where she was sitting her exam when she was finished - flowers and an oatmeal cookie, and since she didn't have another exam until the following Monday, they would spend the evening with a racy movie to just blow off steam.

He opened his mouth to let the hot water pool there, spat it out like a fountain - and turned at the sound of the shower curtain being tugged back. 'Hey, you.'

'Needed a break and thought I'd join you. I'm like Meredeth, I like the water to clear my head when it gets too full. Well, that and a bout of hot, mind-emptying sex with my man,' Alexis purred at him. 'But I've heard through the family grapevine you're feeling a little...anxious in the best possible way for the wedding. I think I have something to help you with that. Turn around.'

Obliging her, Shane turned around so the water hit his forehead, trickled down the sides of his cheeks. He felt the butterfly touch of her hands on his shoulders, his back, downs his sides as his closed his eyes as she put one hand on his hip and the other she closed over him, began to work him, making him shudder.

'You like that baby,' she murmured, laying her lips against his kitten-soft skin. She breathed deeply so her breasts brushed against his back as they rose and fell. 'Feels good, I bet.'

'Feels so fuckin' good, Lex,' he replied in a voice rusty with need for her and her alone. Reaching out, he braced his hand against the wall as she quickened her pace the harder he got. 'God, Lex, don't stop.'

'I won't.'

The only sound to be heard between them was ragged breathing and Shane groans of pleasure as she touched him, winding that spring in his chest tighter and tighter until Shane felt the shift and he was spilling over. His body trembled with release, his breath escaping in rough, ragged bursts as he all but whimpered. He felt Alexis' hand slide away from him, her fingers lightly stroking over his thigh.

'That feel better, my love?'

'Oh yeah,' he replied with such satisfaction that Alexis let out a low, please laugh.

'Wonderful. Pass me the soap.'

'Not so fast, almost-missus.' Confident his knees wouldn't buckle if he moved, Shane turned around and kissed her, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes. 'I'm not the only one who needs some loving.'

Before she could protest, his mouth was fastened to hers, his hand covering her breast; he scraped his thumb over her nipple making her cry out as he did so. He felt the heat between her thighs as he moved closer to her, and with his mouth still on hers he moved his hand down between her thighs, touching her so that she whimpered in delight for him.

'Oh God!' Alexis' eyes slammed shut and she nipped her way along his jawline until she lightly caught his earlobe in her teeth. 'More, please, Shane, more.'

'You like that, baby,' he murmured, using the same words she'd used on him.

'Uh-huh,' was the only thing she could get out, and she swore her eyes rolled back in her skull as she felt him slip one finger inside her then two, draw them out slowly so that by the time she could take no more of such exquisite torture, he rubbed his thumb over her trigger and she came, almost violently, against his hand, body shaking and fingernails digging into his shoulders.

'That feel better, my love?' he asked her, eliciting a laugh from her and she tipped up her face to look at him with her summer-blue eyes sleep and sexily satisfied.

'Immensely. Now I'm hungry again and need to keep working.'

'I'll heat up the chilli for you.'

'And then tomorrow, we're going out for a nice big sushi dinner. With gyoza and tempura and yakitori, the works. Please pass me the soap.'

'You are very bossy tonight,' Shane commtoughented, handing over the squeeze bottle of body wash. 'I like it. Maybe for our wedding night, you should wear some black leather boots and carry a riding crop.'

'Pervert.'

'Your pervert.'

'Damn right.'

* * *

><p>The following morning, Alexis was up and ready for her exam by eight am. She'd woken to give Shane a kiss on the cheek, then headed for the shower, dressed and fixed her hair. He hadn't said a word to her, just gone into the kitchen and made her a cheese omelette for breakfast along with strong coffee, orange juice and fruit salad. While she'd eaten silently, just staring down her plate, he'd sat with her at the table doing the daily crossword on his iPad.<p>

She cleared her plate, and came back for her coffee, then reached over to grip his wrist.

'Thank you, Shane, for just letting me do my thing this morning.'

'It's a big morning for you, I'm not going to piss you off being a hovering idiot right before your most stress exam.'

'I love you for it. So much. Time to shove off.' Alexis rose from her chair, gave him a kiss. 'And, if you want, go into the bottom drawer of my bedside table, pick out a movie for us to watch tonight.'

'Why not the DVD shelf in the armoire?'

'Because the ones I got from Andrea in that little shipping mix-up to Daniel aren't exactly ones I want put on display.'


	40. The Girls Night Chit Chat

She not only got through her pharmacology exam but passed with flying colours; once it was finished and she'd gotten her final grades Alexis had been all but dancing on the ceiling. With the weight of the semester coming to a success and only two weeks before the wedding, Alexis was finally feeling what she'd wanted to the last six months - she was finally excited about the wedding.

'So, you going to share what you and the girls are up to tonight?' Shane asked her, standing in front of his bureau and looking at his shirt options for going to a Mets game with Castle and Ryan.

'All I know is that it is a pre-bachelorette party party, the wedding party only.' Alexis dabbed mascara on in the mirror, blinked. 'Mom is looking after Devon so Sloan can come out with us. It's her first night away from the baby, but I think she's okay leaving him with my mother and RJ.'

'It's impossible to be depressed around your brother, Lex.'

'Well, RJ is practically licking his lips at the idea of a play-date.'

Shane laughed, opted for a grey and green checked shirt with a matching jacket in case they were rained out like the weathermen were promising. 'He does understand that Devon is only like a month old, right?'

'No, no,' she giggled. 'Not for himself. For Jojo.'

'For...oh, sweet zombie Jesus. He's playing matchmaker on his seven month old sister?'

'According to Mom. He thinks they are going to be sweethearts. Or 'see-hots' as he says.'

'That almost makes me want to skip the ball game and go to the loft for the night.'

Alexis simply widened her grin as she slipped on bracelets, and turned to look at her man; she gave him a wolf-whistle. 'Look at you, sexy doctor. How's the arm?'

'Itchy as hell, but that means it's healing up properly.' Shane absently patted at his right forearm where his latest tattoo was wrapped in a bandage. 'I'm glad I moved the location.'

Alexis opened her mouth to ask why, but was interrupted by the buzzing of the intercom. She left the bedroom to answer it and gave an excited little dance when she heard Andrea's voice.

'We are here to steal you for the night, bride! Get your behind down here!'

'You got it! They're here,' she added to Shane who had left the bedroom and was picking up his keys from the bowl by the door, handing her purse to her.

'I'll follow you down.'

Once on the street outside their building Shane watched his almost-bride, a hard working highly intelligent almost-doctor, actually skip up and down on the spot when she saw Andrea, Sloan, Lanie and Meredeth all wearing silly plastic-and-rhinestone tiaras and purple sashes with 'Bridesmaid' in gold script over their clubbing clothes.

'It's the bride!' Andrea trilled, rushing over and crushing Alexis with a hug, then waving her hand wildly at the other girls. 'Gimme the stuff.'

'Hold your horses, Andy,' Meredeth laughed, passed her the white sash that read 'Bride' in the same gold script. 'Okay, that's the first part.

'And here are the other two.' Lanie and Sloan came over, put a larger tiara on her head and because she was the bride, also gave her a scepter to match the tiara. 'Now you're ready for your pre-bachelorette party! Next part - drinks with Lanie and her bag of tricks.'

* * *

><p>Marty and Teeny's was a favourite spot for the women of the Twelfth Precinct to go, as in the last several years there was either a pregnant woman or new mom amongst them and this way the woman wouldn't be left out of girls-night. Alexis had been there only twice with them, so to be there as the centre of attention was a much different flavour.<p>

They were led to their own private booth on the second level where a round of drinks were already waiting for them, and were informed that their tab had already been taken care of by a Missus Katherine Castle and Missus Andrea Brick. The knowledge of this made tears well up in Alexis' eyes.

'Andrea, you didn't have to do this,' she started, but Andrea shook her head firmly.

'Yes I did. I know what it's like to be stressed planning a wedding, and you deserve some bridal treats after the hell you've gone through with Shane planning yours.'

'And it's your mom's way of getting in on the fun in a peripheral way,' Lanie added, 'since it's just the bridesmaids tonight.'

'Thank you so much.'

'No, no tears,' Meredeth ordered. 'Save 'em up for the wedding. Tonight, we are going to make you blush as red as a pomegranate. Shane will think you've been sunburned.'

'Oh man,' Alexis laughed faintly. 'You are going to be the death of me.'

'First drinks.' Sloan passed around menus, looked at the Teeny side for herself. 'Ooo, that looks good for some soft Jell-O shots, the Slimers?'

'Lime Jell-O, sours mix and ginger-ale? You enjoy,' Meredeth wrinkled up her nose. 'I don't do Jell-O.'

'No?'

'Not since I had my appendix out.' She tapped her fingers on her lower right abdomen. 'Can't stand that shit.'

'Oh, but it's so much fun!' Lanie gave her a wink, put her menu back in the holder on the table, then reached into her bag for the ever-popular _101 Naughty Questions for Every Blushing Bride_. 'As is this.'

'Oh boy!' Meredeth clapped her hands, wiggling in her seat. 'I love this part!'

'Shane's birthday is November thirtieth right?' Andrea verified and Alexis nodded; Lanie opened the book and found question thirty. She sent Alexis a devilish look.

'Describe a time when you and your man were interrupted having sex.'

'Oh, my,' Alexis spluttered a little as her drink went down the wrong pipe. 'Why don't we start with something a little nicer?'

'Nope, your pre-bachelorette party is all about being naughty. Let's hear it.'

'Okay, well there was one time when I was staying at Shane's place and we were getting all freaky in the shower, and his buddy Jeremy showed up, not knowing I was with Shane, went into the bathroom and started taking a leak while we were right there.'

'Yikes,' Sloan grimaced, 'that's pretty brutal.'

'Shane couldn't say anything until he was finished.'

Meredeth leaned forward, eyes glittering. 'Did _you_ finish?'

'Finish? Oh, finish. Yes. Yes I did, and so did he.'

'That's my girl,' Andrea grinned, then looked in Lanie's book at question eleven. 'Okay, this one is a little tamer. Describe your perfect fantasy date with Shane.'

'Why couldn't that one have been first?' Alexis protested laughingly. 'Okay, perfect fantasy date with Shane. Can it be something we've done?'

'No, has to be outrageous,' Lanie told her, 'that's why it's a fantasy date.'

'Okay. Then in that case, we rent a private island in the South Pacific and we spend the entire two weeks naked on the beach, tanning and getting drunk and having as much sex as we can manage, right there on the beach in the waves of the ocean.'

'Nice. Mine with Javi to play good-cop-bad-cop at the precinct, and then bang his brains out in the interrogation room,' Meredeth sighed dreamily, dipping a fingertip into her drink and licking it off slowly. 'You never know who might be passing by and it adds to the danger of it. Sloan?'

'Well, since I just broke up with Garrett, can I pick a celebrity?' the new mother asked.

'Of course.'

'Okay. Kinda silly since he kinda already did it, but make a for-real sex tape with Raul de los Palmas and broadcast it on the Internet.'

'Oh, don't even get me started on that little...' Meredeth trailed off, schooled herself. 'No, it's Alexis' night and I won't ruin it.'

'Mere thought his sex-tape video was a real sex tape and he was going to be in shit over it in the papers,' Lanie explained with a giggle to the confused Alexis and Sloan. 'They're friends of sorts over Twitter and he could be Javi's twin, they look so much alike, and she was just ready to strangle Raul.'

'Ah, duly noted. Lanie, another question please, a good one to make Alexis go red again,' Sloan replied.

'No, first we need to hear Andrea's fantasy date with Daniel.'

'That's easy.' Andrea sipped her soft cocktail, smiled. 'Underwater scuba-sex with Daniel. Next question.'

They kept asking questions which got easier and easier to answer without blushing the more drunk they got, Alexis realized. By the time she was on her fourth martini - Meredeth insisted on a round of double-barrel sting-rays for those who could drink alcohol - Lanie was swaying a little in her seat and grinning foolishly as she asked the next question.

'This was a favourite at Meredeth's bachelorette party. Describe your man's style in bed according to an animal.'

'Oh, my Javi the sexy-ass Puerto-Rican chameleon,' Meredeth sighed lustily. 'How about it, Lex?'

Alexis gulped down her drink, let her mouth do the thinking for her. 'Shane...Shane is an octopus.'

'With his big, long, tentacle,' Andrea snickered, earning salacious 'ooohs' from the table.

'No, because when we're bed together, it's like he's got all these extra hands and it just feels so good,' she said with a little groan, making everyone fan themselves down.

'My my, Alexis, I think you've inspired just about all of us to call it a night and find our husbands.'


	41. The Rum Drink Consequences

'Thanks for the lift, Javi,' Shane told Esposito as he slipped out of the nifty red Nissan, fingering the foul pop-fly he'd caught and stuffed in his pocket. 'I'll see you next Wednesday for the suit pick, right?'

'You got it bro. And uh, don't worry, I'm sure my wife hasn't gotten your wife completely smashed tonight.'

'Yeah, right, I've heard the stories, bro.'

Shane slammed the door, waved his friend off towards Cheslea while he headed inside to the apartment. He gave a little laugh as he shook his rain-soaked hair; Esposito called Alexis his wife without thinking twice. Pretty damn awesome for a man who when he first found out about the relationship had been ready to strangle him for corrupting Castle's little girl.

He changed into his pyjamas and was just finished rinsing his face from the layer of soot and grime he'd accumulated at the ballpark when he heard the scraping of a key against the locks of the door. Confused, he went to the door and heard feminine mumbling that had him grinning.

'Oh, boy,' he muttered to himself before opening the door to see Alexis bending over and staring at the dead-bolt. 'Hello my little strawberry.'

'Hiya, Shiny!'

She was, in simple terms, very beautiful and completely drunk, Shane realized as he grabbed her elbow before she stood up too fast and tipped backwards. 'Quite the party night you had, I see.'

'Oh, Shane, we had won'erful time. We had lossa drinks,' she told him, 'in a big-ass booth.'

'Did you now.'

'Uh-huh, and we had all kinds of drinks. Gin and rum and mixy-up ones, too.' She looked around comically, down at her feet. 'How'd I get in the kitchen?'

'I walked you there.'

'Can't we go to the bedroom? I want my sexy oc...oc...oc-to-pus in bed ravishing me.'

'I'm an octopus?' Shane laughed. He's heard of women nicknaming their men's joysticks, but this was something different. 'Should I say thank you that you find me so well endowed?'

'Oh you are very very endowed,' Alexis assured him with a slow, clumsy pat to the cheek, giving her fiance a whiff of her vicious drunk-breath. It smelled of pineapple juice and tequila. 'You have the most dow I've ever seen, but I mean, you get all handsy and touch me all over when we're having sex and making love and just plain ol' fashioned fucking, and it's won'erful.'

'None of which will happen tonight.'

'Aw, come on.'

'No, you are way too drunk.'

Alexis set her lip in a pout, fold her arms over her chest. 'You're no fun. I come home after sharing dirty stories all night and wanna have a li'l fun, and you're turning me down?'

'I love you and I know you love me too which makes it safe to do this.'

Without giving her time to react, Shane bent his knees and scooped her up like a sack of flour over his shoulder. He carted her into their room, dropped her unceremoniously onto the bed where she just lay there motionless. 'Lex, you still with me, honey?'

'Uh-huh, just thinking about ceilings, and how one ceiling is another floor, so does that mean the penthouse roof is the floor for the sky?'

'Oh boy.' Shane shook his head, unfastened the straps of her high heeled sandals. 'Alexis, how the fuck did you not break something walking in these shoes so drunk?'

'I took'em off and then put'em back on when I got home 'cause it was raining,' she said simply, and Shane had to wonder if she knew she sounded exactly like her brother when she was this hammered. 'I didn't want wet feet.'

'Understandable. Okay, up we go.'

He pulled her to a sitting position and with surprisingly little fight from Alexis Shane got her out of her party-dress and into a t-shirt that would serve as her nightie. Torn as to whether or not he should leave her alone in case she fell asleep, Shane made her promise to stay sitting up while he went to the kitchen and to be certain she did, she had to time him.

'Thirty-seventeen seconds,' she replied upon his return. ' 'S how long you were gone.'

'Thank you. Drink.'

'Yummy.' Alexis took the martini glass and downed it, held it out. 'More please.'

Shane obliged her refilled it with the next cup or so of lemon-lime Gatorade. 'More.'

He kept going until she'd polished off a thirty-two ounce bottle and she was shoving him out of the way to use the bathroom. He heard her start to sing as she peed, wondered how the hell _Singing in the Rain _was related to urination but there it was; Alexis would go to bed slightly more hydrated with an empty bladder.

'Shane, you are so good to me,' she told him as he tucked her in on her side of the bed. 'You know what?'

'What?'

'When we have babies, you'll be an awesome daddy. Everyone thinks you're so scary 'cause you're a patho-gist and you have four tattoos but you're my cuddly sexy Jewish oct-o-pus and I can't wait to be Missus Alexis Weaver.'

'Me neither, my sweet. Now get some rest.'

* * *

><p>The next morning, Alexis awoke with a pumpkin sized glass head she was certain was going to roll clean off her shoulders and into the living room like some grizzly decoration. If she slit open an eye all she got was blinding light and she was seriously tempted to just pull the duvet right over her head. The second time she tried it, she gave into temptation.<p>

It was how Shane found her when he brought in a tray full of breakfast. He set it on the top of his bureau and climbed into bed beside her.

'Lexy,' he murmured in a singsong. 'You awake under there?'

'Awake, yes. Living, different story.'

'Well, does zombie Alexis want some coffee and bacon and waffles with butter and fig jam?'

Alexis' fingertips peeked out of the top of the duvet, inched it down so she could peer at him like Killroy over the top of the fabric. 'That sounds delicious. Is there Tylenol?'

'Naturally. Waiting with a glass of juice beside the coffee.'

'Please.'

Shane kissed her forehead, and brought over the tray while she sat up, groaning. 'Feeling a little bit of last night's party, are we?'

'What time did I roll in last night?'

'You didn't make it home until almost two. I'd just gotten home about fifteen mintues before you.'

'Did you have a rainout at the game?'

'No, but we went to Pinkos for wings and beer afterward. And, might I add, you were quite the sight when you rolled in, my dear,' he chuckled as Alexis picked up a piece of bacon, dunked it in the dipping bowl of ketchup.

'I didn't say anything too stupid did I?'

'Do you remember the bit about calling me an octopus?'

'Oh yeah.' A guilty, if satisfied, smile crept over her face. 'I remember that part.'

'Not going to ask,' Shane told her honestly, waving a hand. 'Some things are for girls' nights only. Do you remember talking about the ceiling?'

'Kind of. Did I do anything else?'

'No, that was the worst of it. So you feeling up to see your folks for late-brunch today?'

'Not this hungover, I need coffee by the truckload,' Alexis admitted. 'I don't want to be hungover around RJ. This is something he doesn't need to know about yet.'

'He's never seen your parents after a late night of partying?'

'Usually, they will send him for a sleepover.'

Shane thought about this, then nodded. 'Makes sense. You going to hog that bacon?'

'It's Saturday and you're Jewish, isn't that breaking tonnes of laws?'

'God I love you,' he laughed, tugging her hair and snagging a slice. 'I'm already screwed for the afterlife thanks to my ink. A few slices of bacon aren't going to be the end of the world.'

'Fair point.' Alexis paused, held a hand to her stomach. 'Oh. Oh no.'

'You're going to hurl?' Shane yanked the tray out of the way as Alexis untangled her feet from the bedsheets.

'Nope, the other end!' she cried just before the door to the bathroom slammed shut.

When she had finished doing her thing, Alexis went back to the bedroom with a sigh. 'Good news, I have plenty of room for my waffles now. Bad news is, I may never drink tequila again. I think we should do what Mere and Javi did.'

'Nothing but a few glasses of champagne the night of the wedding so our first sexy times as husband and wife aren't interrupted by the rum scoots?'

'Exactly. Now hand over that coffee and Tylenol.'

He did so and they spent the next few minutes munching in silence until Alexis made a mad dash for the bathroom once more. While she was in there once more, the houseline rang and Shane picked up without a second thought. 'Hello?'

'Hi-hi Shane!'

'Good morning, RJ, what's up?'

'Mumum say I haffa tell you, Sho-sho an' Daddy no' feelin' good. They 'tinky pants.'

'They're stinky pants huh?'

'Uh-huh, an' Mumum say you come fo' suppah now. That o-kay fo' Alessis?'

Shane glanced towards the bathroom door where Alexis had all but barricaded herself in. 'I'm sure she'll understand.'


	42. The Countdown Beginning

'Man, I can't believe this day is here!'

Shane tried not to fidget as he stood beside Alexis at the airport terminal, waiting interminably for the plane to touch down. Another week had flown past and now here it was, Friday night, July the first. This time the following week, he and Alexis would be married.

The thought gave him such a jolt of joy he had to fight to keep the blood in his head.

'Shane, honey, relax,' Alexis laughed, though she was certain the churning in her guts was a mutual feeling they were sharing. 'The plane touched down over half an hour ago, see? They are here, safe and sound, and all we have to do is wait for them to pop through those doors...and then we can say your parents have arrived for our wedding!'

She let out a little shriek and Shane gave her a quick kiss. 'So we're both a pair of basket cases going into this wedding deal, huh?' he teased her.

'Damn right. A pair of goofy eggs about to be put in a marriage basket.'

'You haven't been drinking, have you?'

'No, just nervous. According to you when I'm drunk I sound like my brother.'

Shane could only nod in agreement. 'You drop your consonants like he does. Is that them?'

Alexis looked over to where he pointed and sure enough, she saw Chaim and Shir walking through the doors with their luggage coming behind them. They elbowed their way through the crowd of people to reach them and give them tight embraces; Chaim smelled of cigar smoke and salt while Shir had the light perfumed sweetness that belied just how tough a lady she was.

'You're here!' Shane all but sang it, so excited to see his parents. 'You're here, oh my god! I can't believe it!'

'Scheine, it is okay to breathe,' Chaim laughed, then turned to Alexis. 'And you, _shani_ almost the _kallah_, not long is it?'

'One week to the day.' Alexis felt her high-stepping butterflies come back in full force. 'And things have finally come together. The ceremony will be beautiful, the flowers are all set to be delivered and the food is oh my god amazing.'

'Yes, tell us what you think, Papa, Mama,' Shane added, helping his mother with her luggage. 'We are having four wonderful courses. There are appetizers of stuffed mushrooms, tomato and cheese turnovers, smoked salmon toasty-points and pencetta wrapped water chestnuts.'

'Then for the dinner, there is going to be split pea for the soup course, a main course of barbecued brisket with Israeli couscous and grilled asparagus and it will be barbecued veggie medley for the non meat eaters,' Alexis added with delight. 'I should mention it's a cherry-pomegranate and ginger barbecue sauce.'

'Sounds delicious.'

'And for a small dessert course, there will be apple pie dumplings with vanilla ice cream for the little ones, while we have rum-caramel glazed jelly pastries,' Shane finished, and he could see the glaze of delight in his father's eyes, even watched him smack his lips together a little bit.

'That sounds wonderful, Scheine, especially since it's going to be a hot day from what I was reading on the American weather stations. Is Kansas City near by? There was word they might get a tornado.'

'No, Chaim, it's not, it's in the middle of the country,' Shir reminded him in the way of old married couples. 'They won't have to worry about being carried off by a twister. Now, I understand we are guests at the loft for the week?'

'That's right, my parents wanted to put you up there until the wedding,' Alexis said with a smile, and Shir gave her a little look.

'You say your parents, is your birth mother going to be there?'

'Honestly, I don't know. I sent her an invitation and she is welcome at the rehearsal dinner, but I haven't heard back from her at all. She doesn't really stay in touch.'

'I see.'

'Will that be a problem for the wedding? Rabbi Oliver has said that for my...for Kate to participate in the ceremony as my mother is fine with him.'

'Don't worry so much, _shani_.' Chaim stopped walking so he could put a reassuring arm around Alexis' shoulders. 'We aren't going to make you eat chicken blood or some such nonsense. Your family is your family, and they will be recognized by God because God sees with love, not eyes.'

Alexis mulled over both Chaim and Shir's words as Shane drove them all to the loft, where they would be staying and then taking in a play courtesy of Martha while the women and men took Shane and Alexis out for their last nights as single people. She thought it would be a little awkward, like 'okay here you are, now bye bye' but she new that Chaim and Shir would want the time to themselves to get adjusted to Eastern Standard.

'Alexis? When do we get to see those beautiful siblings of yours?' Chaim asked from the front seat beside Shane.

'RJ and Jojo will still be home here, but not for long. They are having a sleep over tonight at their friend Nessa's grandmother's house so that my parents can come out and be part of the fun.'

'I see,' Shir said, a little stiffly, then asked Shane in Hebrew, 'why is your father-in-law and mother-in-law coming out for the send-off parties?'

'Because, Mama, Kate and Rick planned them, but Rick won't be there for tomorrow night for me,' Shane replied, 'because tomorrow we watch the dancing girls and trade dirty stories about our lovers.'

'I understand. And I apologize Alexis,' she continued in English. 'But sometimes it's easier for me, you know?'

'I do.' Alexis laughed when she saw Shane give a little shudder of anticipation. 'It's okay, baby.'

'I know. So, ah, what are going to see tonight?'

'Something called _Love By the Fountain_, I believe,' Chaim said and to Shane's surprise, the man took out an iPhone, tapped the screen a few times. 'Many pardons, _Love By Fountain Pen_, a charming and moving story about a romance of letters according to Martha's electronic mail.'

'Papa, you got an iPhone?'

'An anniversary gift from my Shiri, to make the time difference easier.'

'Well, no reason a busy man like my Chaim should sit by his computer waiting for the wife to call,' Shir said simply. 'Between the shop, the football, his chess club, his cycling and his marketing, we don't always keep the same hours so it is much simpler this way.'

Alexis watched Shir lean forward, put her hand on Chaim's shoulder and Chaim covered it with his own. The easy intimacy of it, the subtle gesture that spoke volumes about their love for each other made her melt just a little bit.

'When is the rehearsal and the dinner going to be held, Scheine?' Shir asked, hand still on her husband's shoulder.

'Next Tuesday, the rehearsal ceremony at the DeHeere Towers and then we're going on a cruise around Liberty Island for the dinner. We're having southern comfort food.'

'That doesn't sound terribly exciting for a wedding dinner,' Chaim commented; he was very familiar with his almost daughter-in-law's love of the American south's cuisine.

'Yes, but it's a little comprise we have, Papa,' Shane explained. 'I'm getting the rehearsal dinner on a boat and Alexis doesn't like big boats, so she got to pick the food.'

'A great way to meet in the middle. Will that wonderful young brother of yours be there when we arrive?'

'RJ and Jojo should both be there,' Alexis replied with a giggle; it seemed that affection was a two way street as RJ had been asking for the last few weeks or so when 'Him' was going to be visiting. 'Jojo is so big already, she's seven months old today!'

'My goodness, how the time goes fast,' Shir sighed with motherly affection. 'I remember Shane's first words like it was yesterday.'

'Mama,' Shane warned her, turning onto the block for the loft.

'I've never heard this story before.' Intrigued, Alexis sat forward. 'Tell me.'

'Well, you know he was born in Amsterdam, so he learned Dutch first and his first word was his name, Scheine, but he had a little trouble with his n's as a tot so his name kept coming out as 'Scheisse' which is German for 'shit.' Needless to say the neighbours weren't too impressed with us.'

'Thank God, we're here. Mama, no more little-Scheine stories,' Shane informed his mother as he parked the car in Castle's space. 'Would you like us to come up with you, or can you find your way in?'

'Scheine, we're not idiots. Foreigners yes but not idiots,' Chaim reminded his son. 'I'm sure you and your bride have wedding things to do that don't require babysitting us.'

Shane nodded, watched them go into the building before turning to Alexis. 'You need to teach me French.'

'Shane, you already speak Hebrew, Dutch and English, why do you need a fourth one?'

'So if I want to make a little-Scheine joke, I can do it without embarrassing either one of us in front of my parents.'

Alexis only looked at him with a smile. 'Oh, baby, you are so wrung out. Fortunately, we have some time to kill before we meet Body at the bakery. And I know how to solve that problem.'

'Really Lex? In the middle of the afternoon?'

'Why not? It's not like we haven't done it before.'

'Okay, Roscoe's milkshakes and Pennyworth Arcade it is.'


	43. The Girls' Sendoff I

Alexis was amazed she was able to keep anything down at all the way her stomach was doing jumping jacks, but by the time she was back at home and getting ready for her night out with her girls for part one of Debauchery Central, she realized it was no longer anxiety keeping her up at night, it was excitement.

She was getting married to her sexy doctor and the wedding was going to be beautiful.

She'd been informed that the first part of this bachelorette weekend was going to be hosted at Meredeth's house and she would need an overnight bag that contained clubbing clothes as well as her comfies, so Alexis stuffed them into her tote while she wondered just what the hell they had planned for her that night.

Shane had already been abducted for the weekend by the boys and she wasn't surprised when she got a call just before she left and the houseline's ID read 'Caesar's Atlantic City'. 'Hi honey,' she said with a grin as she zipped her bag closed. 'I take it you and the boys jumped the state lines and are off for a weekend of caveman grunting delight?'

'Absolutely. I'm only allowed to call you three times until we're back on Sunday so this is the first one.'

'Okay, well stay safe and have fun. I love you.'

'Love you too.'

Alexis hung up the phone and not a moment too soon - she'd just hit the button when her intercom buzzed and before she answered it, she looked around the apartment. It was going to feel the same and yet so very different in a week's time.

'Hello?'

'Hello bride! Time to get your sexy on!'

Alexis had to laugh at Andrea's enthusiasm; the girl loved being her maid of honour. 'Okay, I'll be right down.'

The smile stayed on her face as she left the apartment, hit the sidewalk to find just Andrea there, waiting by Dave's snazzy looking Sting-Ray. 'Nice wheels,' she commented.

'Lanie worked her magic on her hubby, let us use this as the bride-mobile for tonight.'

'Wonder how many sexual favours she traded for it.'

'That's the spirit, Lex!' Andrea clapped her hands, rounded the hood. 'We have some very naughty games planned for you tonight so getting in the mood early, helps. Here we are, a little music to set the pace.'

She turned over the engine, hit the button on the CD player and Darren Hayes _Insatiable_ began to float through the speakers, making Alexis smile.

'This song makes me wish we were driving on the LIE to get to Meredeth's, to look at the setting sun,' she sighed. 'Such a romantic song.'

'We can always make the trip,' Andrea offered, and wasn't surprised to hear Alexis sniffle a little. 'I know, it's a lot to take in, isn't it?'

'Oh, God, what kind of wimp cries when she's going to her own bachelorette party?'

'The kind who has been through a hell of a lot in a short space of time, and who is so relieved her special day won't be a comedy of errors. The kind who has just realized that things are going to change in a great way. The kind who has no idea the raunchy night she's in for.'

'Really?' Alexis brushed her fingertip beneath her eyes to catch the few stray droplets of water at the corners of her eyes. 'Like what?'

'If I tell you, it's not a good surprise is it? Just sit back and let Darren get you all hot.'

Knowing better than to mess with a woman on a mission, Alexis settled back and watched New York zip past her until they were in Chelsea and parking behind Meredeth's beloved red Nissan. Attached to the stone railings were purple and white streamers along with balloons in various shades of purple as well. A paper sign in the window of the front door read 'Bride Central' that made Alexis laugh.

'Hey, the bride's here!' Andrea hollered as they came through the door, and Alexis just goggled at what she saw before her - Meredeth's living room had been transformed into a purple-and-white haven. Streamers and balloons and glittery confetti, right down to the napkins, was in the bridal party's chosen colour. Meredeth, Lili and Robina were all there in the living room, drinking from silver martini glasses what appeared to be electrified grape juice; the latter of the women did a double take as the door opened and she got up with a screeching laugh.

'It's the bride! She's here!'

Alexis let out a little 'oof!' as Robina wrapped her long arms around her. 'Thanks, Robina.'

'Are you ready for tonight?' Meredeth asked, getting in her own hugs.

'I'll just say sure, because I have no idea what to expect!' Alexis replied honestly with just as much enthusiasm. She looked above Lili's head as the bubbly Puerto-Rican woman hugged her - not too hard to do since Lili was so petite - and saw Honey-Milk, Beckett, Sloan, and Lanie coming out of the kitchen with pitchers of what Alexis assumed was punch with enough punch to kick her ass twice around the block. 'I'm guess that's not for kids.'

'Not in the slightest. Pomegranate juice, tequila, lime juice, coconut rum and sours mix. We are getting sloshed tonight.'

'With the exception of me, of course,' Andrea reminded them, patting her stomach. 'I get to be the official photographer.'

'Sloan, are you getting in on this action?' Lanie asked, kneeling by the coffee table as she rounded up the glasses. 'You already pumped out plenty of milk to give Devon when he comes here tonight, right?'

'Yes, ma'am it's in the fridge as we speak. Hit me.'

'Here, here, Lex, you sit here.' Meredeth tugged the bride over to an armchair that had been draped with a purple length of cloth and coated with silver and shining white confetti when there was a knock on the door. 'You get a drink in you because our first part of the night is here!'

She answered the door and welcomed in a fresh-faced redhead with what appeared to be a pink leather steamer trunk. 'Hi Giselle, come on in.'

'Thanks for calling me up, I always like to see my repeat customers.'

'Everyone, this is Giselle,' Meredeth informed the group. 'Some of you know her from my bachelorette party and some of you might be seeing her for the first time. Why don't I let you set up and introduce yourself.'

'Thanks Meredeth.'

Giselle set down her trunk, lifted the lid and had all the girls gasping and oh-ing over the contents. For Alexis, she was very glad to have a drink in her hand so she could gulp it down.

'Obviously, at Fantasia we offer a wide variety of products for every type and style of love-life and tonight, I'm here to offer you ladies something to keep those sheets burning hot. Where is our bride?'

'That's me?' Alexis raised her hand with a little blush and Giselle smiled warmly.

'Congratulations, honey, I'm sure you and your man will be very happy for many years. What type of love-making do you usually enjoy with him?'

'Oh, umm, you mean like positions?' she asked awkwardly, her cheeks burning up in embarrassment that she had no idea what to say. Fortunately, Lanie put a hand on her knee and smiled.

'She means like do you prefer to be slow and sweet more often than you're angry-passionate, or do you like to try out new locations a lot, that kind of thing.'

'Ah, okay. Well, we like being in the shower a lot, as foreplay,' Alexis offered and Giselle smiled, nodded.

'Then I think you would most definitely like to try this.' She held up a bottle of what appeared to be massage oil. 'This is a massage oil that both warms and gains its fragrance when used on the skin in the water. I have sun-and-sand if you like the beach, I have Persian jasmine if you like the exotic and if you like the fun and spunky, I actually have a Popsicle scented one as well.'

'Ooh, can I take a sniff at those,' Lili asked, holding out her hand for the bottles. 'Cam loves romantic water sports because of his knee, there's less pressure on him, so I could definitely use these.'

'I also have these,' Giselle continued, holding up a pair of glass spheres in melting blues and greens. 'These are water bells, used to rub against erogenous zones while dampening the skin with water, lotion or oils. Very good if you like to indulge in sensual massage.'

'And what if you like something a little more adventurous?' Andrea asked.

'We'll get there.'

The women looked over the selection of goodies being passed around, from the edible panties in various flavours to the massage oils to the various naughty games like x-rated Pictionary and foreplay dice.

'You're going to Bermuda for the first week of your honeymoon, Lex,' Sloan reminded Alexis with a wink as she picked up a pair of the edible panties. 'Those could come in quite handy.'

'They just might,' Alexis murmured, holding onto a pair for consideration as Giselle moved to phase two of her presentation.

'Now, these are great for those just beginning to explore their sexuality with a partner and figuring out what you like in bed, but for them more experienced couples who like to spice things up, we have...the hardware.'

Alexis watched as the woman lifted out a panel from her suitcase and she reached for the pitcher of purple stuff. If she was going to look at personal pleasure devices with these women, she was going to need a lot more alcohol.


	44. The Boys' Sendoff I

While his almost bride was picking out sex toys with her girlfriends, Shane was finishing shaving just in time for Fight Night at the Palladium. He was disappointed Body couldn't be there but he knew the Mathias' wouldn't take too kindly to their youngest child and only boy skipping out on their milestone anniversary party. Body had pointed out as well that he was quite useless at a strip club for men anyways – being a gay man, he'd have much more fun with the girls watching their kind of strippers.

'Heard you used up one of your phone calls already,' Ryan said as Shane stepped out of the bathroom. 'You only get two more until Sunday afternoon, you know.'

'I know, and besides I don't want to interrupt my girl with her girls during some much needed girl-time,' Shane replied, pulling on a fresh shirt and slapping on the Fragonard's cologne he'd gotten with Alexis in Paris. 'Plus dealing with drunk Alexis is much like talking to her brother.'

'That's what Jenny says about me when I'm into the Guinness. I like the new ink, by the way, but what does 'ohana' mean?'

Shane grinned, looked at the design – silver blue script on the underside of his right forearm with curlicues dripping off the ends of the letters. 'It's Hawai'ian, it means 'family'. I was watching _Lilo and Stitch_ with RJ and he said to me, Shane, they like us, they a diff'ent family, but we ah-some too.'

'That's so sweet, bro. You know...nah, forget it.'

'You know what?'

'You know, you're going to be an amazing daddy when you and Alexis have babies for real, right? Everyone sees it, the way you are with RJ and Jojo. But tonight's not the night to get gushy. Tonight is about red meat and raw knuckles and rolling bones.'

'The only bones I wanna roll are Alexis', bro,' Shane said bluntly, making Ryan laugh as he checked his own reflection in the mirror.

'Bones as in dice. The craps tables.'

'I prefer the slots or roulette.'

'I bet you like the slots,' Ryan teased him, then picked up the ringing room-phone. 'Groom's suite. Right. Got it, see you in a few. Espo and Castle are waiting for us in the lobby, and we're picking up Dave, Gil, Cam and Daniel on the way down.'

By the time they'd picked up the rest of the men and were on their way to the steak house for dinner, Shane couldn't help but feel that had he and Alexis not gone through the hell they had planning their wedding, they wouldn't be nearly as appreciative as they were now with all that their friends were doing for them.

'This is great, Rick,' he told Castle as they were shown to a chef's table at the Bunkhouse, 'you seriously didn't have to go all out like this, though.'

'Shut up,' was all Castle said with a cheeky grin.

'Dude, you are getting married to the love of your life,' Dave reminded him. 'That is always worth celebrating in high style.'

'Agreed, and you know they only do this for the bros they love,' Daniel added, thinking of when it had been his turn two years prior for such an event. 'So no more of this 'I'm not worthy' shit.'

'Wait until you see the waitresses at this place,' Esposito added, 'they are so tasty, makes you just wanna thank God for boobs.'

'Not everyone likes 'em big and busty like you do,' Cam pointed out to his brother in law. 'Sometimes a nice little spit fire like your sister's just about perfect.'

'Hence why Castle's jumping ship on the strippers tomorrow night,' Ryan said to Shane as Esposito shuddered, pretended to give Cam what-for. 'No way in hell he wants to hear all that about his little girl.'

'She's twenty-six, you know, and every bit a woman,' Shane sighed lustily. 'It's going to be so weird not to sleep with her three days in a row when she's home from school.'

Gil waved his hand. 'Ah, you'll be sleeping with her plenty on the honeymoon. Or _not_ sleeping with her, since it's your honeymoon.'

'Why don't you get to see her?' Daniel asked as they sat down at their booth and gave their redheaded hostess the once-over. Esposito hadn't been kidding, as the woman reminded him so much of his own sweet bride. 'Is it like a 'women have to be purified' Jewish thing or something?'

'Honestly, I don't know, it's just what we do. Could be worse, though,' Shane said. 'I'm a reform Jew, Ashkenazis and Sephardic have to go a whole week.'

'Man, you'd have one sore hand,' Esposito commented as another equally busty waitress brought them menus and took their drink orders; like Daniel it only served to remind him of the woman he loved with all his heart.

'You're disgusting, bro,' Ryan said, frowning at the severe lack of good vegetarian options. 'Any way to get like a tofu tempura or something?'

'I know, it's hideous,' Cam agreed being the other vegetarian. 'The only meat I want to it is Lili's-'

'Dude I am right here!' Esposito protested, then looked dolefully at Castle. 'You are so right to bail out tomorrow night. Thankfully there's going to be two tables of us at La Vieille Maison, so I don't have to listen to the lieutenant brag about violating my baby sister.'

'Does it help to know I'm the only guy who's violated your sister?'

'A little bit, but not by much.'

'Dude, she's had two babies,' Dave said, leaning over and looking at the mixed-raced bartender, wondered if the three-calls only was just for Shane, or if he could slip away later that night to have phone-sex with his sexy lady. 'I think the jig is up.'

'That had to be awkward for your parents,' Shane said with a sip of his beer. 'Oh, you guys know I can't have any kind of big breakfast the morning of the wedding, right?'

'Yeah, Body mentioned it to us when we were going over some stuff at the hotel,' Ryan said, debating between a Caesar salad with tempura veggies and the animal-free Pad Thai. 'Something about fasting, right, and you will get a first married snack-time together as soon as the ceremony is finished.'

'Yep. We're going for our favourite meal of appetizers. Gyoza, fresh fruit, baguettes, red pepper jelly and a cheese plate. Oh and Fresca, not wine, because neither of us handle booze well on an empty stomach.'

'Right now, none of that sissy light-weight crap,' Castle said sternly, though mostly because the sound of it was making his own mouth water. 'Right now, our bouncy little waitress is going to take our orders and we all need red meat.'

In the end they ordered steaks with the exception of Gil, who went for ribs, and Cam and Ryan who went for the rustic vegetable chowder with corn bread. They noshed while they teased and joked, and for Shane, it was exactly the perfect way to have his last days as an unmarried man celebrated.

There was little time to sit back and digest, though, as Castle checked his watch and told them the limo would be waiting out front for their next stop of the night. Shane learned long ago when Castle had a surprise planned the more questions asked, the more he shut his mouth, so he just filed into the sleek black car with the rest of them, took a glass of scotch and one of the fine Cuban cigars that were being passed around.

'Alright, alright, a little toast here,' Ryan said as they lit up their stogies. 'Since Body couldn't make it, I'm filling in his shoes for the weekend so I have to make sure we send this guy off into married life in style. When we first found out that Shane and Alexis were together, it seemed like the oddest couple ever. And now, we can't imagine you two with anyone else, so here's wishing you a marriage full of love laughter and lots of baby-making practice.'

'Hear, hear,' the others agreed, clinking crystal and puffing away like dragons, with Daniel adding, 'Okay now we've got the mush out of the way for the weekend, time to watch the fists fly.'

Shane could only imagine what was in store, and wasn't disappointed when they stopped in front of the Palladium Arena, whose digital marquee screamed UFC: Hofstedt vs. Umberto. Then he got a glimpse of the message after it and gave an exuberant yell.

'Hey! Check that out!'

The men turned their gaze up and saw what Shane was pointing at – beneath the headliner event in black letters were the words 'Congratulations Shane & Alexis'

'Who did that, I wonder?' Gil asked, looking knowingly at Castle, but the man shook his head.

'Just wait for it.'

They watched in awe, like little boys, as the sign flipped once more 'All our love, Body and Faisal.'

'That clever son of a bitch,' Shane laughed as the guys all whistled and slapped him on the back. 'What a funny guy.'

'His little way of saying wish he could be here,' Castle said as he produced their tickets, passed them around, and the location of their seats had Daniel and Esposito's eyes popping like little kids at Christmas.

'Holy shit, this is like ring side! We'll hear the teeth rattling when Hofstedt pulps Umberto!' Esposito cried jubilantly, making Daniel shove him in the shoulder.

'Umberto all the way man.'

As the men debated the two opponents of the fight and the others joined in, Shane could only grin in excitement and wonder if his girl was just as thrilled with her girls' send off as he was with his boys.


	45. The Girls' Sendoff II

'I can't believe I actually bought something like that!'

'Ssh, Lex, it's too early in the morning.'

Alexis stared at the ceiling of Meredeth and Esposito's bedroom, trying to think of how that was going to look on her credit card statement. 'I should never be allowed to shop when I'm that drunk.'

'We all bought stuff, Alexis.'

'Yeah, but...I'm about to go on my honeymoon, everyone knows I'm probably going to use it with Shane!'

'Uh, newsflash, Alexis, everyone expects you two to be pretty much naked for most of your honeymoon,' Andrea chuckled against the pillow, 'and our job as the girls is to make sure it's as saucy and as much fun as possible.'

'And when I open up my suitcase and he sees that I bought a...a...' She couldn't bring herself to use the D-word or the V-word yet. 'A toy, he's going to think I'm sick of him or that he can't get me off anymore.'

'Or you just might be surprised and discover that him being a voyeur to you pleasuring yourself is a huge turn-on. First time I tried that with Daniel, I thought he was going to have a heart attack from the look on his face. He couldn't get enough of it,' Andrea laughed, sitting up at the knock on the door. 'And on that pleasant note, I believe that's breakfast. Come on in!'

The door was opened and Meredeth came in with a two cups of coffee, passed one to Alexis. 'Morning, bride!' she trilled. 'How are we feeling?'

'A little...bad,' Alexis admitted, 'I was telling Andrea I'm not sure if Shane will like the idea of toys and sex together.'

'Ah, well, you'd be surprised how you can change your tune.' Meredeth sat down cross legged on Alexis' side of the bed. 'I had never had one until my bachelorette party and I bought one just so I wouldn't be the prude when even Lili was buying something.'

'Lili?'

'Anyways, I tucked it into my suitcase for the trip to New Zealand and the night of the Emmys, before we flew out to Auckland, I showed it to Javi and he was in heaven at the idea of trying something new and risque.'

'Huh. Lili?' Alexis repeated on a laugh as she sipped coffee. 'Never would have pegged her for that.'

'Oh she's as human as the rest of us, she just had her own personal beliefs about her first time,' Andrea said, rubbed her stomach. 'Mere you're a good chef, what is waiting for us downstairs?'

'The works.'

'The works?'

'The works.'

'Whee!' Andrea kicked back the covers, looked over at Alexis. 'You've got how many women in this house, one a hungry preggo and another breastfeeding. We better get down there before everything is gone.'

'Considering you're the preggo, Andrea, it's kinda hard to...oh, my head hurts too much to think about that!' Alexis laughed. 'Okay, down we go.'

They followed their noses down to the kitchen where the rest of the women in various states of hangover were clustered around the table while on the island was plate after plate of delicious looking breakfast treats - muffins and biscuit-bread, bacon, scrambled eggs, homefries, a cheese plate and a fruit platter.

'Oh yum,' Alexis sighed, and began to load up a plate. 'This will cure what ails ye.'

'Shh, shh, shh, not so loud,' Robina moaned, face buried downwards beneath her arms on the table. 'Or else find a gun and put me out of my misery.'

'What she said,' Lili added miserably.

'Food,' Lanie declared. 'We all need food.'

'Eat up, everyone, now that the bride's here,' Meredeth informed them, and Alexis squirmed a little as Meredeth passed her a refill on her coffee, nudged her towards a chair at the table.

'Man I don't understand how my mother, my bio-mom I mean, can stand living like this all the time, being fussed over.'

'Because you're too much your father, Lex,' Beckett informed her with a pounding head as she loaded up her own plate much like Alexis did. 'He likes the nicer things in life but he does it for himself unless he's really out of his depth, like engine repair or something.'

'Well, Alexis, you are going to be severely uncomfortable then, because we are all spending the afternoon at Midtown Retreat.'

'Midtown Retreat? Like with pedicures and manicures and waxes and massages?'

'Looks like you found the right button, Andrea,' Honey-Milk commented. 'That woke her up.'

'I love going to the spa,' Alexis replied, shoveling in her eggs with more enthusiasm now that she knew what was in store for the day. 'Makes me feel sexy.'

'Well good because we're taking you to The Package Store tonight,' Beckett said with a giggle.

'Oh, not the Grindhouse?' Honey-Milk and Lili both actually pouted. 'That was so much fun!'

'Yes, but The Package Store is a little more dignified for someone who isn't as...liberally minded as us,' Lanie told them; for some reason this made Alexis poker up a little bit.

'I'm not some prude who blushes when she sees her almost-husband's dick at full attention,' she retorted with a sniff. 'We can go to the Grindhouse.'

'OKay, we'll go to the Grindhouse,' Beckett acquiesced, lifting her hands up.

'Damn right we will, because bachelorette parties are about getting hammered and doing stupid, trashy things with your girlfriends and in my case, my mother too, like going to a sleezy-ass strip club and stuffing dollar bils down some poor boy's metallic thong.'

'Hear hear,' Honey-Milk said, patting her hand on the edge of the table. 'Huzzah for naked men!'

'Huzzah indeed,' Alexis agreed, and forced her face to stay clear when Robina informed her, 'You do know they go Full-Monty at the Grindhouse, right?'

'Even better.'

They finished their breakfast quietly since all the chatter over the strip club had made their aching heads ring like church bells. When they'd drunk a little more coffee and were quite certain that screaming in the showers was only hissing steam and not their livers begging for mercy, they headed out to catch their taxis to Midtown Retreat, the very same spa where Shane had hooked her up with a day of beauty after she was cleared for sex again after her miscarriage.

Andrea had been with her that day too, and they'd had a great time. No wonder she'd picked it again.

Alexis couldn't really keep her mind focused as they were buffed and waxed and polished, served champagne and bubbly water, brought room service in the form of fruit and cheese and deli trays. She sighed in her chair as her face soaked up all the goodies of a cleansing cucumber-sugar-teatree oil mask, wiggled her toes as she soaked her feet in a footbath.

'This is just about perfect,' she sighed, not expecting any answer and heard Lili beside her.

'Tell me about it. We are going to look so hot going out tonight.'

'Lili, I just have to come out and say this.' Alexis flexed and wiggled her eyebrows around the cucumber slices over her eyes. 'I don't understand how a...well a good girl like you can be okay with all this dirty talk.'

'Lexy, just because I lost my virginity on my wedding night doesn't mean I'm uninterested in sex. You've seen my husband, and I also have two babies. Didn't get that way from paying off a stork.'

'But there's a difference between-'

'Lex.' Lili reached out her hand, patted Alexis'. 'It's okay to admit you like sex with Shane, now more than ever since it's your bachelorette party.'

'Agreed.' Sloan, who had come over in her robe after a fresh hip-to-toe wax, sipped her champagne and nodded. 'Which is why I like Meredeth and Honey-Milk's idea for drinks tonight.'

'Oh?'

'Anytime the word 'sex' comes up tonight, you drink whatever's on the table. I hear the Grindhouse makes some wicked test-tube shooters.'

'Sounds like fun.' Alexis leaned back in her chair, thought of when Shane gave her massages. 'I think it'll be great time tonight.'

'You want to use one of your calls to Shane when we're done here?'

'Uh-huh.'

'Excuse me, Alexis?' Anke, the technician she'd requested for her massage popped over. 'Time to rinse your face and then for your deep tissue shiatsu.'

Lili and Sloan watched her go over to the basin with Anke, and Sloan clucked her tongue. 'Girl's still worried more shit is going to go wrong.'

'Well, we'll help her think about something tonight. Like her wedding night with her man.'

'Yeah. She'll be in the mood for it tonight, no question. We'll get her good and liquored up, and then when Shane gets home tomorrow with the boys, hangover sex.'

'Maybe they'll try out that new little gadget she bought.'

'Oh, I don't need to hear about her buying gadgets,' Beckett teased them, joining in the conversation. 'But you're right, she's still worried things are going to go wrong. Fortunately, I had this last night at dinner.'

She produced a small strip of paper, a Chinese fortune cookie fortune, and read it aloud. 'You who have seen many road blocks have taken the stones and made a new path to joy.'

'So you think all this is going to work out because a cookie said so?' Lili replied dryly.

'Yes I do. I also know it will because they love each other and won't let anything ruin their big day.'


	46. The Boys' Sendoff II

'Well, boys, that's it for me.'

All heads turned to Castle at the in-suite poker table, gave him pitiful looks as the writer rose from the table, began to cash out his chips. They knew this moment had been coming but it still didn't make it suck any less.

'It's not going to be the same without you here, brother,' Esposito said with a shake of his head. 'It really isn't.'

'Esposito, think about this. Let's say for arguments sake that Tessi grows up and marries an older man, and you and he are friends. Do you want to be present for the locker-room chat when he's bragging about how good he sexes her up?' Even saying it made Castle shudder like he'd walked through a ghost, watched his friend remain silent. 'I didn't think so.'

'Yeah, there are definitely some details being shared Castle won't wanna hear,' Shane predicted, thinking immediately of the night when Ryan and Esposito had discovered Alexis at his apartment. 'I love you man, but I love Alexis more and I don't want her father creeped out.'

'Well your tickets are set for tonight, as is your transportation, and all you need to do is sign for the room upon check-out. The rest is taken care of.'

Shane watched as all the men stood up, gave Castle a bear-hug; he waited to be the last and heard Castle murmur in his ear, 'I couldn't think of a better man for my baby girl.'

'Thanks, bro.'

'Now go have fun tonight, alright?'

Shane nodded, watched the man head out the door and turned back to the card game. The moment the door clicked shut, the men pounced.

'Okay, now that Castle's gone, we gotta give you a little preview of tonight,' Ryan told him with a grin, getting up and going to the kitchenette of the room.

'Does that mean an in-room lapdance because I think Alexis would kill me.'

'No, no, no,' Dave shook his head. 'The girls are for viewing only, bro. Iron-clad rule of our little boy-parties. We're thinking more about spilling the details on your woman.'

'Got it!' Ryan called triumphantly, coming back with a bottle of vodka which had Gil and Cam standing up and going to a small bar area where they produced shot glasses, vermouth and olives. A few minutes later, they had whipped up a set of dirty-martini shooters that the Irish detective passed around. 'Dirty martini, dirty story about your girl. Who goes first?'

'Wait, what kind of dirty story?' Gil said, looking at them.

'Weirdest location you ever had sex with your woman,' Daniel decided. 'Should be some good ones. Who goes first?'

'I will,' Ryan offered, knowing he had a good one. 'Castle's bathroom.'

'What?' Shane burst out, then frowned. 'Wait, I think I heard that one.'

'It was the night Jenny and I made Dell at his annual Hallowe'en party too,' Ryan added, tossing back his shot. 'Okay, who's next.'

'I definitely have a cringe worthy one, for you at least, Espo,' Cam grinned evilly at his brother-in-law. 'Living room couch at the 'buelos condo.'

'The...no. No way, bro!' Esposito looked horror struck. 'Seriously?'

'Just after we were married, we were house-sitting for Rosita and Alejandro while they were in Puerto Rico for the bakery. We were watching a scary movie, one thing led to another and, well let's just say that couch would need to be burned if it could talk.'

'My parents couch,' Esposito muttered as Cam drank his shot down. 'Dave next you're going to tell me you did Lanie on my living room floor.'

As it was true, but Dave had no intention of letting his friend know that, he simply winked and picked up his shot glass. 'Actually, this was a fantasy of mine come true. Locker-room at the Honda Center in L.A.'

'As in...the Mighty Ducks dressing room?' Gil inquired.

'Lanie and I were visiting her father while the kids were with my parents in Albany, and we stayed after they were done with a mid-morning practice. Lanie said she was just going to use the toilet while I had a look around, and the next thing I know, she's stepping out in a tiny little Ducks cheerleader's costume.'

'Wait, is that why you said you back was fucked up from the hockey game?' Shane asked incredulously. 'That's why you couldn't help me move furniture, a sex injury?'

'Hey I know Espo's come to work with them,' Ryan said with a jerk of his thumb at his boy.

Before blood could be spilled from Esposito's eye, Gil stepped in to tell them about the time he and Robina had gotten it on in the middle of an empty movie theatre which earned them looks of respect from most of the men, while Daniel filled in the story of when he and Andrea having very hot pregnancy sex in the on-call room after Donnally had been flirting with her, which left only Esposito and Shane at the end.

'Hard to pin down with Mere, but I think it has to be on top of the washing machine at home.'

'Washing machine?'

'Yeah, it was pretty damn hot, the vibrations and her, well...vibrating,' he finished, polishing off his booze then looked at Shane. 'Okay, it's all you, Shane. Save the best for last.'

'Best for last, huh.' Shane frowned, looked at his shot. 'Parking lot at LaGuardia.'

All of the men looked at him, dumbfounded. 'Say that one again, bro?' Gil told him, a little surprised.

'Parking lot at LaGuardia. Alexis was so excited I had surprised her with our little mini-break to the Bahamas we fit in a round before our flight to Miami in the back seat of our rental car.'

'Now that's what I'm talking about,' Esposito grinned, slapping Shane's back after he'd pounded his shot. 'Forget the card game, we should head out for drinks and dancing girls, because I have a feeling there's more of these stories to come. Pun very much intended.'

* * *

><p>Just like with Daniel's last weekend of being a single man, they took Shane to La Vieille Maison de Paris and weren't disappointed in the slightest by the floor show. Shane watched along with the men as they whistled and cheered the dancers on, focused in on one redhead who reminded him so much of his almost-wife it was a little spooky.<p>

And the drinks just kept on coming, one round after another so that two hours into the wonderful display of flesh his tongue was loose enough he'd talk about just damn near anything. It was proven true when Ryan sidled closer, just as drunk as him as asked in the dreamy voice of the truly sloshed, 'Shane, you ever get busted by Castle when you were banging Lex?'

'Nuh-uh, but we came close a couple of times. A lossa times it was pretty obvious we'd just finished up screwing each other senseless and crossed paths in the night when we stayed over at the loft.'

'What about the night you knocked her up?'

'Kevin, you want to know way too much about my sex life,' Shane laughed. 'Why don't you ask the question you really want to ask me.'

'Whadda ya mean?'

'I mean I know there is a question you want to ask me an' you never ever ever asked it. Ever. So ask it now.'

'Okay.' Ryan grabbed another shot off the table for liquid courage. 'Was she ever just a piece of ass to you?'

'Never.'

'Good, because-'

'Nope, I was a total pussy when we met. Took me three dates just to kiss her,' Shane went on, and Ryan gave him a bleary smile.

'Aw what a guy.'

'Now ask the other question.'

'What question?' Esposito asked, joining them at the table after watching Dave pass the stage hands some bills for tipping the entertainment from all of them.

'I asked Shane if Alexis was ever just young sex to him, and he said no, she never was, because he was such a total pussy it took'em three dates just to kiss, and he said ask the other question. But I don't know what one he means.'

'I do. How long were you two together before you were fucking?' Esposito asked bluntly; it was a question he'd never ask had he not been three sheets to the wind.

'About two weeks. And it wasn't fucking, the first time it was love, all the way,' Shane said. Even drunk, he would defend his Alexis. 'She was so sweet and loving, and now she's spicy and sweet.'

'You know our wives have probably corrupted that out of her this weekend, right? You'll go home to a sex machine.'

'Guys,' Shane leaned in closer and picked up a shot of tequila. 'She was always a sex machine, now she's just going to have the girlie-gifts to prove it.'

Ryan laughed, went to clap Shane on the shoulder and missed, hitting his head instead. 'Oh, and a little hint. The garter toss at the reception - none of this pansy-ass pull-down shit. The teeth all the way.'

'Duly noted.' Shane wrapped an arm around each of them, drunkenly gave them each a kiss on the head. 'I love you guys.'

'We love you too, bro.' Esposito patted his chest lightly. 'Now, eyes up front because this is the best part of the show.'

Shane did as he was told, thinking of Lex as he watched the high-stepping can-can dancers and wondering if she was having as much fun as he was.


	47. The Girls' Sendoff III

Whatever worries Alexis had been having over something going wrong on her wedding day were completely eclipsed the night she went out for part two - or was it three now - of her bachelorette weekend. It would be very easy to do that since they had told her up front they were going to get her completely roasty-toasty drunk, even more than when the bridal party had gone to Marty and Teeny's.

As she finished the last touches on her make-up, Andrea appeared behind her with a blindingly white wig; her own cap of flaming red hair had been covered up by a virulently purple in a Louise Brooks cut with silver streaks running through it.

'Here, last accessory of the night.'

'A wig?'

'Yep, we are wigging out tonight, girl,' Andrea said with a cheeky grin. 'I got the idea from _The 40-Year-Old Virgin_, and thought if I ever got to throw a bachelorette party that would be included.'

'This is going to be a great time.'

'Well, I've heard the stories about what happened to Meredeth and Lanie at this place, so I think it's safe to say no matter how much booze we have tonight, it will be a night to remember.'

Alexis giggled as she grabbed her purse, headed downstairs to see Lanie and Sloan were already snapping pictures of the other women in equally outrageous wigs. She jammed hers on her head and when they saw the bride had joined them, they presented her with a tiara to put over her wig.

'Alright, everybody say huzzah for naked men!' Honey-Milk crowed making them all laugh.

'You have an unhealthy obsession with strippers, Jenny, I think you were Gypsy Rose Lee in a past life.'

'Nah, I just like watching men squirm for my entertainment,' she replied with a vicious grin. 'What's wrong with that?'

'Now I have a very vile image of Ryan dancing in my head,' Beckett groaned, tucking a strand of electric-Smurf synthetic hair behind her ear. 'I'll need something to erase that right away.'

'Good timing, then, because our taxis are here to take us to a night of debauchery and drinking.' Andrea peaked through the curtains, saw the line of three taxis outside the Esposito townhouse.

'Okay, before we go, a sneak-peek!' Meredeth brought out a bottle of gold tequila, passed around shots to everyone except Andrea, who'd deemed herself the photographer of the night. They pounded it back, letting out shrieks afterward that had poor Arturo heading for the kitchen, and filed out into the night.

The trip to Loisaida Avenue was a short one despite the fact it was the Saturday night of the long weekend, and Alexis felt her stomach go a little tight, then loose when she saw the discreet sign on the side of the building - 'The Grindhouse'.

'Man, this is going to be insane,' she murmured as they left the cab, regrouped with the others. Outside the doors was a man who looked like a former Asian wrestling champ on a walkie-talkie headset. He was as thick as he was tall, with beefy arms folded over his chest and a face like a stone totem until he saw the girls approaching, Lili leading the charge.

'Lili, how are you doing,' he asked in a voice as gruff as his appearance.

'Just great, Takeshi. Here for another bachelorette night,' she replied, holding out her hand and the mountain-man, who drew a 'B' on it with a Sharpie. 'This time it's for Alexis Castle.'

'The writer's daughter? I heard she hooked herself a tasty looking doctor.'

'Yes, yes I did,' Alexis piped up, feeling not embarrassment over someone complimenting her on Shane but proud. Maybe it was the tequila already working on her. 'We're getting married next Friday.'

'Congratulations. Show your server your B's and you'll get a seat right up front.'

'Thanks. Before you ask,' Lili continued to Alexis as they filtered inside, 'he used to be neighbours with Cam before we moved in together.'

'Yes, because you're exactly the kind of...oh...my...'

They'd stepped into the main showroom, or at least that was how Alexis was choosing to think of it, as there were tables crowded together on varying tiered levels surrounding a T-shaped stage where a trio of men dressed as firefighters were down to their hats and shiny red thongs.

'Oh man,' Alexis grinned, tickled at the idea of getting to gratuitously drool over the hard-bodies of the performers, making the other women around her grin with just as much delight.

'Ladies, welcome to the Grindhouse.' A man in skin-tight black pants and shirtless but for a bow-tie collar sauntered over to them. 'How may I service you?'

'We're a bachelorette party.' Meredeth and Lanie thrust out their hands to show off the B's as they'd been told to and Tight-Pants McGee nodded briskly.

'This way.'

Holding hands like a chain of titillated schoolgirls, they followed him up to the nook of the stage where they were given two tables in a little roped off area, and another waiter in the same tight pants and bow-tie collar was standing-by with a tray containing a rack of test-tube shots.

'I'm the designated driver tonight,' Andrea informed him over the din of the music, and he nodded, then hurried away leaving her to take more pictures of the girls in their wigs.

'I'm so glad we have these wigs on, because it's going to make picture time tomorrow all the more interesting,' Honey-Milk laughed, reaching into her purse to pull out a wad of singles. 'Andrea, Robina, who else is packing?'

'Me! Here!' Robina opened her bag, pulled out an equally thick stack of one-dollar bills.

'Me too!' Sloan added, gave Alexis a wink. 'This isn't just for you, honey, this is for all of us to give the dancers so that they think we when are having sex with our husbands or boyfriends, we're thinking of them.'

'You said sex!' Lanie pointed her freshly manicured finger at the woman. 'Everyone drink!'

Alexis took the shot and without thinking twice, tipped her head back to swallow. 'You think there's any chance they might have a pathologist stripper?'

'We'll have to find out,' Robina said with a smile, held up a pair of singles. 'Now thank

As the night wore on and the drinks kept going, Alexis couldn't remember having a better time. Of course, she also couldn't figure out how she made it from their table to the ladies room without getting lost but hey, that was part of the fun. And there hadn't been any doctor or pathologist strippers, but there had been a chorus of Zorros and Alexis knew from time to time she thought Shane looked a little like Antonio Banderras so they were a good replacement.

And her girls, she knew, were having just as much fun. She liked watching Lanie in particular - here was a woman who had gone through the stresses of medical school like herself who was just really cutting loose and having a great time with her friends. The doctor who was as serious as they got about her work, just like Shane,

'Alessis,' Lanie slurred, sitting down beside her, 'you are thinking too much, you gotta get another drink, sweetheart!'

'You sound like my brother, only sexier.'

'Drink!' Lanie passed her two test-tube shots, took two for herself and clinked them against Alexis' vials. 'Drink, drink, drink.'

Alexis tossed them back, wondered if Lanie could taste hers anymore because she sure couldn't. 'Lanie, can I tell you a little secret?'

'Sure, baby.'

'When Shane an' me start a family, I want a pair of girls and a boy.'

'Three babies?' Lanie's glassy eyes danced brightly. 'Three babies?'

'Uh-huh.'

'They will have the best mama ever.'

'Mumum, Lanie,' Alexis snickered, reaching for another shot. 'I'll be mumum too. But before we get the babies, there has to be the marriage and the honeymoon which means lots and lots of hot, dirt, might-get us arrested sex.'

'Drink!' Honey-Milk hollered as she watched the stage like a hawk. 'You said sex, you have to drink!'

'I know, I know.' Alexis grabbed another shot and because this one was different, like a blue Freezie, she grabbed another one just like it. 'These are tas'y.'

'Speaking of tasty...' Sloan, who was standing behind Alexis, patted her shoulder. 'We still wanna hear more details about Shane.'

'Like what? I already spilled my gu's 'bout a bunch of our sexy times.'

'I'm curious to know if he's got any tattoos in places that don't get a lot of sunshine,' Andrea said, recording every last detail with her camera.

'Nuh-uh, no tattoos in naughty places, but he's only got four now. Plenty of room for more. Oh, look! Look, look, look!' Alexis all but bounced up and down on her chair as the famous Full-Monty boys came out and Tom Jones oozed out of the speakers. 'Oh, I was hoping we'd get to see something like this!'

'Come on, honey.' Honey-Milk, who was just on her way back from the ladies' room herself, took hold of Alexis' wrist and dragged her to her feet up to the edge of the stage. She whistled and flagged down one of the stage hands. 'It's her bachelorette party! How about something special for her!'

'You got it.'

The stage hand went to the men and much to Alexis' drunken delight, they hauled her up on stage, plunked her down on a chair under a glowing spot light. She could hear the shrieks and yells of her girlfriends and just clapped her hands as she got a front row seat to the best show in the house.


	48. The Liver Recovery

Shane opened his eyes as the limo lurched to a stop. He knew it was probably normal to feel this shitty after a night of heavy drinking, which was why he hardly didn't do it anymore. The last time he'd been this into the bottle had been nearly a year prior, when he'd been doing shots with Esposito and Daniel at Ryan and Honey-Milk's vow renewal, and even then, because it was a family event he'd kept it fairly light.

This weekend, though, had not been about keeping it light. They'd gone face-first into machismo like soldiers through enemy lines and were a little worse for wear on Sunday morning now. But it had been totally worth it, an all-out guys-only sausage-fest, as Daniel had put it. And, okay, there was a small part of Shane that was happy Body hadn't been there because he knew that some parts of it might have been a little awkward or made him uncomfortable. Mostly he'd been thrilled that he'd been fortunate enough to have friends in his life who wanted to throw him such an elaborate send off to married life.

The morning after the strip club, Shane knew without a doubt he was terribly hungover, as Ryan was cuddled up and being baby spoon against him and neither of them had flinched when they'd awoken. They'd slowly made their way to the other suite to find the other men just as groggy as them with a loaded buffet cart in the parlour. Shane had all but begged Daniel to scare up some of his go-go juice to put them all out of their misery. Instead he'd passed them BLTs and cheese omelettes with sides of fries and mozza-sticks; according to Daniel they were the next best thing to a banana bag in a hospital.

They'd all but crawled into the limo after checkout, and everyone had been content to just listen to the quite music on their iPods, or in some cases an audiobook, as they'd trekked back to the Big Apple and made the drop-offs. Shane was the last man standing, as it were, and he was deposited not in Grammercy Park, but at the loft; he'd received word that Alexis and Beckett were sleeping it off there in the company of family which was probably a good idea in case they got a little sick. His parents would be there too, waiting to point and laugh at his miserable state and remind him that's the price to pay for a good time.

He groaned as he stepped out into the blistering heat of July in the city - it had to be at least eight-five in the shade - and when he lurched a little to his left, it felt as though his brain was crashing around his skull like a Super-Ball in a dryer. He pressed a hand to his aching head and groaned, then thought of the night before and the exultant camaraderie while they'd watched the burlesque performers, the glee with which he'd sucked back whiskey and tequila and other mixed-drink shooters.

'Totally worth it,' he decided on a whimper as he dragged his suitcase on wheels to the building entrance where the doorman gave him a nod and let him in. Lord, even the hum of the elevator was a bit much for him to handle. He didn't bother to knock on the loft door, as he knew it would be open since they were expecting him so he turned the knob and called out a soft, 'Hello, everyone, I made it home.'

'Shalom, Scheine.' At the kitchen table where she was playing cards with Castle and RJ, Shir gave her one and only son a look and clucked her tongue. 'Judging from the look of the bags under your eyes, I take it you had a good time with your friends?'

'We partied like brain-damaged French sailors. Is Alexis here?'

'Mumum an' Alessis nappin', Shane,' RJ informed him. 'You no' feelin' good'?'

'I was up very late at a party with Javi and Kevin and a bunch of other guys.'

'You up pas' bed-time, tha' no' goo'.' The toddler shook his head, then looked at Shir. 'You Shane mumum, say sum-pin'.'

To appease the boy, Shir pretended to give Shane a stern look. 'You need a nap, young man. Upstairs, and no arguing.'

'Yea Shir.' RJ clapped his hands, then slithered off his chair to give Shane a light hug. ' 'Mon, Shane, up we go.'

'That's what I say to you, isn't it?'

'Uh-huh. Now it my turn.'

'Okay, then.'

As he truly was too bloody worn out to protest, Shane let his almost brother-in-law tug him towards the staircase and walk him up to the guest room where he found Alexis face down in bed in her pjs.

'She suh-leepin', Shane,' RJ whispered. 'No paddisin' fo' a baby now, okay?'

'No worries, little bro.'

He bumped knuckles with the toddler and when he watched him go down the stairs very carefully, he turned back to the bed and scooted in beside his almost wife. He saw the silver ring on her finger that he'd bought her in the Bahamas, studied the one on his hand and grinned. This time next week they would be in Bermuda, lying in bed together after swimming or diving or a lazy day of love making.

Stroking a hand over her back, Shane nearly recoiled when she shifted, moving around at the added weight of the bed. She didn't open her eyes but she smacked her lips together and winced a bit.

'Shane?' Alexis mumbled blearily.

'Yes, my little spiked strawberry, it's me.'

'You hear that?'

'What?

She reached out blindly and patted his hand. 'It's the sound of my liver regenerating itself. And it wants to do that quietly.'

'Okay, so I guess we can follow RJ's orders of no baby-practice,' Shane whispered back, and Alexis nodded with the smallest of movements.

'Not until later tonight, that is, if we make it home. I'm pretty sure if I try to move from this bed right now, my head will break into a thousand pieces. Why are you so chipper?'

'Shh, Lex, no talking now. Just sleep.'

'Great idea.'

With that, Alexis was out like a light once more, and Shane lifted the sheets so he could snuggle in beside her. He didn't bother trying to hold her close, as he knew her too well by now. Instead he patted her hand and murmured, 'Sweet dreams my strawberry.'

Alexis woke some time later; she yawned, then let out a whimper as even that hurt to do. She thought back to the night of her pre-bachelorette party, how Shane had been there and poured cup after cup of Gatorade into her. She'd peed like a racehorse when she'd finished the bottle but she'd woken up the next morning feeling dented, not crushed.

Alexis looked over, saw Shane was down for the count too, but not as hard as her, it seemed. _Lucky bastard_, she thought, _he got to sleep in the limo ride on the way back from Atlantic City_. She reached out a hand to brush away the dark waves of hair that had fallen over his brow.

'My big strong man,' she murmured.

'Lex?'

'Hey, are you awake?'

'Just barely.' Shane squinted open one blue eye. 'Thought you would still be asleep until at least four.'

'Nah.' Alexis shook her head, moved so she was tucked up tight against him. When she heard the soft taps on the door, she called out 'come in' in a hoarse voice and wasn't surprised when she saw RJ there with Omeo in tow.

'Alessis, I miss you, wanna 'nuggle.'

'Okay, hop in, big guy.'

RJ scampered over, climbed onto the bed so his head rested against Alexis' breasts. 'Daddy say you an' Mumum an' Shane up way pas' bedtime.'

'Yes we were, and now we are paying for it,' Alexis replied.

'You gotta behave, Alessis, gotta 'tudy hard an' be a dotta.'

'Well right now it's my summer vacation, so I don't have any studying for a little bit. I get to take a break from the books and have some fun after working hard all semester.'

RJ frowned at this. 'You' teashers say it okay-a have fun?'

'Yes they did,' Alexis replied; her brother had the mind of a bureaucrat some days, always needing to make sure everyone had proper permission for doing things.

'Okay then.'

'Is that the ring-bearer?' Shane asked, even more sleepy sounding than a few minutes before. 'RJ, that you?'

'Yeah, Shane, it me. You suh-leepy-pants too?'

'Absolutely. Did you come in here to tell us we've been bad, or did you have something else in mind?'

'Mumum say Minor Ham makin' soup an' toas' for sup-pah,' RJ replied proudly, making Shane crack up laughing so hard he rolled from side to side.

'Minor Ham?'

'Shir say in Dush we don' say Misser, we say Minor.'

'I think you mean _Meneer_,' Shane managed to get out, body still shaking with laughter. 'And thanks for delivering the memo. Now, this is nap space. If you are napping, you are welcome here. Otherwise, beat it, small-fry.'

'Okay. Mwah, mwah.' RJ delivered kisses with loud noises, then left the room, hollering to his mother that Alexis and Shane were 'till nappin', making the happy and hungover couple laugh.

'I think when we eventually have our babies and they are RJ's age, we are going to a institute a universal-nap rule on Sundays. Everyone must take at least ninety minutes to themselves,' Shane decreed, and Alexis nodded.

'So that when Mumum and Daddy need some quiet time after a party night they're none the wiser?'

'Precisely, my sweet.'


	49. The Monday Excitement

'Alexis.'

'Nuh.'

Still mostly asleep, Alexis batted at the tickling sensation under her nose, flinched away with a jerk. When the tickling continued, she slapped out her hand and connected with something solid; it was followed up with a little grunt.

'Ow.'

She opened her eyes, and saw she'd accidentally slapped her fiance on the nose like an errant puppy. 'Oh, no! Baby, I'm sorry! I didn't think you were that close!'

'It's okay, you didn't break it again,' he replied, then gave her an eyebrow wiggling grin. 'Do you know what today is?'

'Monday?'

'And the last whole day we'll spend together before we're married.'

'What about tomorrow?' Alexis replied, confused as she sat up in bed.

'Tomorrow night, you are sleeping over at Andrea's house and Daniel is staying here with me after the rehearsal dinner,' Shane reminded her. 'This is our last whole day together as an unmarried couple.'

'Oh man, it really is, isn't it? And we have so much to do!'

'Not as bad as you would think. The rings are safely in Andrea's possession, the table favours were delivered to the hotel this morning,' Shane rattled off the laundry list of last minute details, ticking off each one on his fingers. 'Only thing we are doing today aside from enjoying the tranquility before the insanity of this week is picking up our package from the travel agent for the honeymoon and packing for the honeymoon.'

'Yes and you will have to leave me be for some of that, as I want the lingerie from my bachelorette party to be a surprise.' Alexis hesitated, frowned as she drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. 'Shane, um, can I tell you a little something, something I'm not sure how you'll react to?'

'Depends. Did you kill a hobo with a shotgun?'

'No.'

'Then you're cool.' Shane leaned over, kissed her. 'What's on your mind, my sweet?'

'I know we said we'd keep the details of our send-off weekends to ourselves and our friends but I really feel like I need to tell you this.

'Lex, just spit it out.'

'Okay. There was a woman Meredeth invited as entertainment for Friday night, her name was Giselle and she was, ah...basically the Avon lady of vibrators,' Alexis said, using Meredeth's words since her own were sticking in her throat. 'And...I kinda bought something from her.'

Shane looked her dead in the eye. 'You bought sex toys?'

'Toy, singular. I felt like I should, since the party was in my honour, but now, I...' She trailed off as she looked at the lax expression on Shane's face. 'Shane? You okay?'

'Yeah, just trying not to have a heart attack as all the blood goes into my lap.'

'Seriously?' Alexis looked at him like he'd lost his mind. 'You think being replaced by a piece of batter-operated plastic is hot?'

'Not replaced, enhanced,' he corrected her. The idea of it, of watching her with it, had him going all tingly. 'Can we give it a test run or do you want to wait until the honeymoon?'

'Honeymoon,' she replied, making an executive decision. She hadn't anticipated him getting so jazzed by it, but with the knowledge the idea of spicing it up in the bedroom had him this turned on she decided to make him wait for it. 'You weren't my first partner, but I've never used something like that, so maybe that can be your first.'

'Alexis.' Shane put his hand on her arm. 'Just because you didn't lose it to me doesn't mean that there haven't been firsts we've had with each other. You've given me firsts, you know.'

'Like what?'

'Well, the one that springs to mind is the fact I came and visited you on another continent. I'd never done that for a woman, ever. Another being that I introduced you to my parents. Never did that before.'

'No?' Alexis was impressed.

'The last thing they'd need is to get invested in a woman I'm seeing if it doesn't work out.' He moved so his legs bracketed hers and he was sitting on her duvet-covered feet. 'Do you know the moment I knew I was going to marry you?'

'When?'

'Do you remember that night when you were home from England and we were interrupted with like ten minutes left to go on my on-call? It was the Amber van Houston case, and then I came home and you were there, making sure I got a bite to eat after a rough night and then we had that shower together.'

'It was right before we took a little weekend in the Hamptons.'

'We went to bed that night and all I could think was, this is what I want. I want you to always be there to come home to, to keep me going on the rough nights, be the good thing that reminds me why what I do matters so much.'

'Shane.' Alexis smiled at him as little tears formed in the corners of her eyes. 'That's so sweet.'

'Hey now, no tears, it's a happy day,' Shane teased her, then wrinkled his nose. 'I've been spending too much time around RJ.'

'I think you're stocking up because when we're on our honeymoon, you'll miss him.'

'On our honeymoon, I think I'll be lucky to remember my own name from all the lingerie I know you're going to pack.'

'I've also got those very skimpy bikinis you bought me when we went to the Bahamas,' she reminded him, and Shane groaned.

'You're killing me.'

'I'll make it up to you in the shower.' Alexis leaned forward to kiss him once more, then patted his shoulders. 'Come on, lover boy, we've got almost-married things to take care of today.'

* * *

><p>'Mumum, when they be here?'<p>

'Soon, RJ, they've got errands to run getting the final details ready for the wedding.'

RJ followed his mother around the loft like a shadow as she went to dump a load of towels into the washing machine. 'But...but..they all set, Daddy say so!'

'I know, RJ, he means they are ready to get married but they still have to get things ready for the reception.'

'Tha' the pah-tee?'

'Yes, that's the party.' RJ let out a comically heavy sigh, which had Beckett laughing. 'You want your sister's wedding to go off without a hitch, right?'

'Ah-course, Mumum, it her an' Shane 'pishal day!'

'Well, then that means being patient now, my little prince.'

Towels in the wash, Beckett grabbed RJ's hand and they walked back out to the living room where Castle was watching Jojo motor around the living room on hands and knees. Ever since discovering she could crawl the previous week, Jojo had figured it out there were whole new worlds to be discovered in the loft beyond her play-mat.

'Lookit, Mumum, Sho-sho cuh-rawlin'! She going way fas'!'

'She is going fast, isn't she?'

'Mumumumumum,' Jojo babbled, hearing her mother's voice and coming over to inspect. 'Sasasasa?'

'Alessis an' Shane be here soon,' RJ reassured his little sister, crouching like a frog to be at her eye level. 'Then we gonna have a suh-nack and puh-lay cards. Mumum, where Minor Ham and Give-it Shir?'

'They went to the market, to pick up ingredients for breakfast tomorrow. Shir is going to make some very special treats for brunch.'

'I like tuh-reats. Sho-sho have tuh-reats too?'

'Of course she does,' Castle said brightly, 'everyone likes treats.'

'Riririr,' Jojo added with a gummy grin that was showing off the knobs of two tiny little teeth.

There was a light knock on the door and Alexis and Shane walked through, all smiles that showed the nerves of people anticipating great excitement.

'Hey everyone!'

'Alessis! Shane!' RJ flew over to them, gave them walloping hugs. 'Happy ah-mos' wedding!'

'Thanks little bro.' Alexis crouched down to return his embrace and she kissed his cheek, making him squirm. 'You are going to look so sharp in your tux.'

'Tah-rini gonna say I err-sisible.'

'You are always irresistible,' she laughed, then looked over to her sister, who'd parked on her rump and was clapping her hands. 'I haven't forgotten you, Jojo.'

Castle watched his oldest girl scoop up his youngest girl with his boy following them like a guard dog, and felt his heart break a little. He leaned against his wife as she sat down beside him on the couch.

'Feeling old, Rick?'

'Nah. Just very, very happy. The wedding is going to be absolutely gorgeous, and they are going to have a beautiful if very hot day.'

'Yeah?'

'Forecast is predicting clear blue skies and temperatures as high as ninety-three Fahrenheit. Good thing they've got ice sculptures at the reception.'

The door opened once more and they saw the Weavers come in, holding hands and Shir with a small marketing bag. 'Hello, everyone, hello almost-daughter-in-law!'

'Mama, where'd you go?' Shane asked.

'A lovely little spot called Zabar's, and we are going to have your grandmother's jelly pastries for brunch tomorrow.'

'I help?' RJ looked up from playing with Jojo's toes. 'I help too, puh-lease?'

'Of course, I have to have my little chef help me.'

Shane smiled as Shir held out her hand to RJ and for a moment, fantasized how she would be with her future grandbabies.


	50. The Last Kaboom?

When Shane woke on Tuesday morning, he was absolutely surprised he was still in his bed beside Alexis and not on the ceiling. He coudl barely stay still he was so excited.

He was getting married in three days. Today was the last day he would spend with Alexis in unwedded bliss, and it would be capped with their wedding rehearsal.

Turning towards her, he saw with no little surprise that she was awake as well, blue eyes wide and her smile even wide, if that were possible.

'Good morning, Shane,' she giggled.

'Good morning, Alexis,' he replied in the same tone, scooting closer to kiss her. 'Know what today is?'

'Today is the last day we'll make love as fiances. Next time we do it'll be on our wedding night.'

'Well, then...'

Shane ran his hand down her side, unsurprised to find she'd slept naked. The forecast of a heat wave hitting New York City had been dead accurate it seemed and as their whole building was having AC-issues, they'd both slept naked.

His lips found hers, soft and sweet, and he indulged himself by nibbling on them, teasing her, arousing her; it worked, as Shane could feel the heat begin to rise from her that was just because it was sweltering outside. He rolled so she was trapped beneath him, those long arms and legs coming around to pull him close.

'Alexis.' Shane brushed his hand over her face, groaned when she arched her hips against his. The little thrust made whatever morning wood he had go to granite; from the look in her eye she knew exactly what she was doing to him, so he lowered his mouth to hers, lips cruising over her jaw. 'What does my sexy Lexy want this morning?'

Alexis moaned softly as little shivers went up and down her body. 'I don't care, just don't stop, Shane.'

'Dangerous words, my love.'

'I know.'

She breathed deeply, then let out a strangled cry when his clever mouth went down her jaw to her neck, over her body to the valley between her breasts and he made his trail of kisses even slower, letting the nub of his tongue dart out and taste her skin. His hand drifted to cover one breast while Shane kissed his way over to the other one, found her nipple tempting him. He tasted it and felt her thighs squeeze tight against his hips.

'Mm, feels so good, Shane,' she murmured, combing limp fingers through his hair. Alexis ground her hips against his as he did nothing but this, teasing her at her most sensitive point for him. She didn't know if it was the excitement of the day or excitement for him, or a combination of the two, but what she did know was that she coudl feel those muscles loosening and tightening with every stroke of his tongue on her body.

Then suddenly, everything zipped south, and Alexis managed to get out, 'Condom, Shane, get one now, please.'

'Yeah?'

At her furiously fast head bob, Shane tore himself away from her long enough to do so, and when he fitted the protection on, he watched Alexis take him in her hand, guide him towards her. When he cupped her hips and pulled her close, he was sliding into her, their bodies ebbing and flowing like the tides as they rode each other towards climax, coming together almost simultaeneously.

'I love you,' Alexis moaned in his ear as she felt her body break apart with orgasm.

'I love you,' Shane replied, watching her come undone with pleasure, the image staying with him as he shut his eyes and followed her over.

There was only the sound of the city outside and their wheezing breath as they lay tangled together on their bed, the one they'd purchased together. Shane turned his head so his ear was pressed against her chest and he heard the thunderclap of her heart trying to get back in a normal rhythm.

Then he heard one of the strangest sounds he'd ever heard while adrift in the post-coital glow with Alexis - a little sniffle.

'Lex?' Shane looked up at her; panicked at what he saw he propped himself to his elbows. She'd never cried when they'd been in bed together, not once. 'Lex, sweetheart, what's wrong?'

'Nothing is wrong,' she replied with a serene smile as tears delicate as crystal drops trailed out of her eyes. 'I was just thinking about the first time we were together like this. It wasn't some big romantic night then either, just you and me. Simple, sweet, natural.'

She stretched underneath him, let her head roll to the side to check the time. 'Oh my god!'

'What?'

'It's almost eleven! How can that be? We need a shower and clothes, and - stop laughing!'

'You're so cute when you're flustered, though,' Shane grinned, but he sat up, dug out fresh clothes for them both as well as towels.

Alexis glared at him and ran to the bathroom, then sprinted back for the towel. She pointed at him when he opened his mouth. 'Don't say it.'

* * *

><p>The rehearsal itself went off without a hitch, on the roof-top terrace of DeHeere Towers, which of course had them wondering if that meant the day of it would pour rain on them. By the time they got to the pier, Shane was starving for something to eat - the heat of the day had made him more hungry than thirsty and now that the sun had begun to dip ever so slightly behind the buildings, he could feel the results of eating less than drinking. From the gurgle he heard from Alexis' stomach, he knew they were most definitely ready to eat.<p>

'Alexis,' Shane asked her as they headed towards the gangplank, 'are you going to be sea-sick while we're having our rehearsal dinner?'

'No, I'm not wasting all that good food!'

'Fair enough, my sweet.'

They boarded and weren't surprised to see they were the last ones there, since they'd stayed behind at the hotel to go over some final details with Rabbi Oliver. Shane could see their guests were already snacking on various kinds of fruit and cheese and crackers for hors d'oeuvres and he immediately collared a waiter with a tray.

'Dude, I'll take care of those, if you please,' he said, taking the whole tray for himself and Alexis, not bothering with the cocktail napkins the waiter presented for them. 'Oh and find the captain tell him the bride and groom are here so you can shove off or whatever the nautical term is.'

'And let your boss know dinner is served,' Alexis added, cramming in a canape of tart green apple and brie on a baguette. 'Oh, god, this is like sex on a cracker.'

They looked around and saw everyone was looking at them, and Shane grinned sheepishly. 'Stress eating,' he joked, setting down the tray, and making everyone laugh. 'Alexis and I would like to thank everyone here for your amazing love and support, we sincerely could not have made it through the true horror-show that was wedding planning for us. Thank you.'

Shane took the glass of wine from the waiter, saw everyoen was being passed a bottle of this special vintage that he'd selected as a treat with Castle's help for this momentous occasion. 'I would like to raise my glass to the most beautiful, intelligent, funny, compassionate, kind-hearted woman I've ever had the great fortune to meet who decided to take a chance on a guy like me and make me feel like I could conquer the world every time I wake up beside her. I love you with all my heart Alexis.'

'Aww, I love you too, Shane.'

They leaned in for a kiss, getting cheers and applause and a few 'ewws' from the under-ten crowd, then looked at Ryan and Esposito, who had asked to make a small speech tonight and let the best man have the floor to himself the day of the wedding.

'Javi and I, we were the first ones to learn about Alexis and Shane's relationship outside of Rick and Kate, and I think it's safe to say that we never expected to find out as we did,' Ryan began, looking to his partner to tell the story.

'We were on our way to pick him up for a poker night at Rick's place, and when we knocked on the door, it was answered by none other than Alexis, and it was quite obvious that she was the mystery woman Shane had been so tight-lipped about,' Esposito continued. 'While we were surprised at first, now to think of them with anyone else is laughable. To the happy couple.'

They all took drinks, and while the children continued to sip happily on their beverages, the grown-ups were making faces of disgust. Cautiously, Alexis took a mouthful and her eyes went round at the horrendous taste. Looking around, she made a beeline for the back of the yacht and promptly spat out the wine over the bow of the boat.

'It tastes like vinegar!' Alexis looked at Shane horrified. 'That's the wine we selected for the wedding, it's been shipped to the hotel! That's the wine we're using for the ceremony!'

'We paid a lot of money for that and it tastes like ass!' Shane agreed, looking around and was sorely tempted to ask the near-by Dell for his Diet Coke to wash out the rancid flavour of the soured red wine. 'You think we'll be able to find a liquor store that will sell us anything so late?'

'Dad!'

Shane looked over, saw Castle coming to talk to them and breathed a small sigh of relief. 'Rick, what are we going to do? This-'

'I will get it taken care of first thing tomorrow. I know someone who owes a favour.'

'Of course you do, Don Ricardo.'


	51. The Final 24 Hours

The next three days flew past at almost warp speed for Alexis and Shane. It was one of the hardest times in their relationship, but thankfully they were staying with their friends who were understanding of it, and were both surprised and impressed at the total radio silence each one had committed to. Though it was a toss-up as to who was more frustrated by the tradition, both Alexis and Shane knew they'd regret it if they gave into temptation.

Today, however, was quite the interesting day that was planned for Alexis - Shir wanted to take her to lunch. Alexis liked Shir a great deal, and was understandably apprehensive about it, as they'd never really spent any one-on-one time together. Then again, as Beckett had pointed out to her, they'd never really spent any one-on-one time together so this would be a great bonding experience for the bride and her almost mother-in-law.

So with a day to go before the wedding, Alexis headed out of the subway station on Forty-Second Street and smiled when she saw Shir in a lovely turquoise tunic and long white linen pants. She assumed the woman was used to hot temperatures living in Tel Aviv, so when she hugged her and there wasn't a single drop of perspiration on her brow, Alexis wrinkled her nose a little bit.

'I'm so jealous of you being so well adjusted to heat waves,' she commented as they began to walk down the street.

'Keep in mind I'd been stationed at the Israeli embassy in Amsterdam for about ten years before moving home. That's a lot of wet,' Shir reminded her, and Alexis felt herself unwind a little as she asked, 'How did you meet Chaim?'

'Oh, goodness, has he never told you that story?'

'He told it to me the first time I met him when Shane came to visit me in England, when we took a weekend trip to Amsterdam, and Chaim told me his version, I want to hear yours.'

Shir laughed, patted her hair as they wandered down the street towards the little cafe where she wanted to take Alexis for lunch. 'Well, I'm sure you know that in Amsterdam there is as much bicycle traffic as there is auto-traffic, yes?'

'Uh-huh, I remember that, even in winter there was a lot of them around.'

'This was about mid-April, when everything is goopy and wet, and I was out for a bike ride on one of my rare days off, and I saw there was a couple in front of me who were ignoring my ringing bell. So I dodged out of the way of them right into a puddle. I was terribly soaked from head to foot and then there was a lovely voice speaking to me.'

Shir paused as she remembered the way Chaim had looked at her with kind eyes, and offered a hand to her. 'I couldn't understand what he was saying in Dutch to me, but I saw he had a Star of David on a chain around his neck and so I took a chance, asked him if he spoke Hebrew and he did. He told me that he had a friend who could help me fix my bike, as the crash offended the alignment, and that if I were so inclined, as his apartment was above the garage rather than walking me home when I was a mess.'

'That's pretty bold of him.'

'I made jokes that he was trying to seduce me into the sex trades and then he told me back that if he was going to seduce me, I'd know because he would offer me flowers first. And what he said did indeed make sense, so I went with him, and his garage friend said he would have it up and running in an hour, so I took a warm shower while he put my clothings into the dryer and went next door to borrow some lady things from his neighbour.'

'I think that is terribly sweet,' Alexis sighed, thinking of how exuberant a young and in-love Chaim would have been. 'Did he try to get fresh with you?'

'No.' Shir shook her head as they waited at the crosswalk lights. 'He was a perfect gentleman...until I wanted him to be otherwise. Don't worry, I won't embarrass you, Alexis. Here we are.'

They stopped at a little tea room that smelled of fresh apples, baked bread and the sugary-sweet fragrance of women's mingled perfume. It was not the kind of place Alexis would have guessed the hard-line law enforcer Shir to take her, but then, the same hard-line law enforcer had met, fallen for and married the whimsical and romantic Chaim and raised her son to be a wonderful mix of the two.

'I hope this is to your liking,' Shir said hopefully as they took a table in two softly covered arm-chairs that offered a beautiful view of the city walking past them. 'I'm not a big fan of noisy restaurants in my personal time, I go there often enough when I have to travel for work. When I'm on vacation, I prefer something more intimate.'

'I know what you mean,' Alexis agreed. 'When I'm done in lecture and labs and clinical, I like going home to Shane and the tranquility of just one-on-one time after a day full of people.'

'He takes care of you, and from what he tells me, you take care of him too. Are you nervous for tomorrow?'

'Insanely, but I know it's going to be a wonderful day.' She paused, then smiled. 'I think I can finally safely say it.'

'What's that?'

'I don't think there's anything that can go wrong tomorrow.'

'I think you're right, my dear. Now, what kind of tea would you like to order?'

* * *

><p>While Alexis and Shir bonded over Waldorf salad sandwiches and pear-chutney iced tea, Shane was having a little bit less fun in trying to help Beckett get weekend bags put together for the Castle tots. With Jojo and her newfound mobility, it was impossible to take eyes off of her now. RJ was trying his best to be helpful but of course, the little guy was just far too excited about the wedding the next day.<p>

'Shane, why you an' Alessis can' see eash odder?' he asked, keeping a weather eye on the motoring little Jojo.

'It's part of the tradition so I don't see her in her wedding dress until the moment she is walking down the aisle towards me.'

'Like Sanna Cuh-Laus?'

'Something like that?'

RJ frowned. 'Alessis is way puh-retty than Sanna.'

'I'll agree with you on that,' Shane laughed as he folded up onsies for Jojo, and arranged the clothes into neat piles, then felt something bump into his right calf. Looking down he saw it was Jojo herself, eyes shining and chubby little hands patting his bare feet. 'Well hi there, bumblebee, where's you come from?'

'Pupup?' Jojo rocked back to her bottom and stretched her arms up at Shane. 'Pupup?'

'Okay, but because you were nice about it.' Shane crouched to help Jojo into his arms and she clapped her hands loudly. 'Sasasa?'

'No, Alessis no' here, Sho-sho,' RJ reminded her, trying to reach up and pat her little foot. 'She no' 'llowed-a see Shane 'till wedding time.'

'Mimimimimi.'

'That's right it's almost time for the wedding.' Shane pucker-kissed her cheek, making Jojo squeal in delight. 'You're a ticklish one. And-' he gave a sniff, made a face '-a stinky one too! Woo, girl, you could weaponize that stuff in your diaper!'

'Sho-sho bein' a 'tinky-pants, Shane?'

'She most definitely is! Alright, bumblebee, we'll get you cleaned up.'

'I help!' RJ rushed over to the buckets where he knew his mumum kept the supplies for freshening his sister's nappie. 'Shane I get all-a suh-tuff!'

'Thanks bro.'

'Ah-mos', Shane. 'Morrow, I be fish-ly you' buh-ro,' RJ said said while he rummaged in the baskets. 'An' Sho-sho 'Tinky-pants be fish-ly you' sisser.'

'That's right you both will be officially part of my family.'

'Tha' mean Give-It Shir an' Minor Ham my family too?'

'They are but..' Shane paused as he fought not to gag while he unfastened Jojo's diaper, deposited it straight into the genie. 'RJ, why are you calling her Give-It?'

'Ah-cause she say in He-buh-roo,' RJ enunciated the word to make sure he remembered it properly, 'that how we say 'missus', an' I a shennel-man, I have manners so I say 'Give-It Shir'.'

'I understand,' he replied, and he genuinely meant it since he could figure it out that the little boy meant to say 'ge'veret' and in his eager style mangled it so he could wrap his tongue around the foreign word. 'That's very nice, I'm sure she appreciates it.'

'Bebebebebe,' Jojo added, not wanting to be left out as she grabbed her toes with her fingers while Shane wiped her bottom.

'How's everything going in here?'

All three heads turned to the door to see Beckett standing there with a delight grin on her face. 'Mumum, Shane gonna be a goo' hubby! He very help-ful,' RJ informed his mother which had Beckett giggling.

'He is very helpful.'

'Fofofofo,' Jojo burbled as Beckett came over to inspect Shane's handiwork.

'Nicely done, Doctor. But I have to ask, is this how you pictured your last day as an unmarried man? Changing your sister-in-law's diaper?'

'Not exactly, but spending time with the love of my life's family is how I pictured this day, so...' Shane shrugged with a smile full of nerves. 'I don't really have anything on my mind except seeing Alexis tomorrow in her dress.'

'Yea!' Jojo clapped her little hands. 'Yea!'

'What she said.'


	52. The Jojo Catalyst

By Thursday evening, neither Alexis nor Shane knew just how excited the other one was for the hotel arrival. Part of the organization of the reception and rehearsal had included tonight, a separate spheres reception for the wedding guests so that they would all be there for the night before as a group. Through careful planning, it had been determined that Alexis would spend the first hour of their two hours in the reception room visiting and a text to Andrea from Shane would give the maid of honour the signal to get the bride upstairs to the suite so the fast of being without her love catching sight of her, and he would get the second hour with their families.

As it was helping her from completely losing her mind, Alexis decided it was more productive to babble on about the food with Andrea making the appropriate noises and responses. She didn't much care of Andrea was voicing her real opinions or murmuring along to keep Alexis from crawling on the ceiling.

'I know there's no sweet corn or mashed potatoes, that's not the greatest finger food but there should be bits of fried chicken and lots of fresh veggies and fruit and other deliciousness like that,' Alexis sighed.

'Yum.' Andrea all but hummed it as the elevator doors dinged and opened. She went to exit but sensed Alexis tense and freeze up beside her when she saw the woman on the other side of the doors. 'What is it?'

'Hello my baby girl!' Evil Meredith trilled the greeting to her only child and held out her arms. 'Happy wedding!'

'What are you doing here?' Alexis said it in disbelief, forcing herself to move forward mechanically into the waiting embrace of the woman who had birthed her into the world.

'What, miss my only daughter's wedding? Are you kidding me? Do you know what the press will do with it when they see how close we are?'

'Hi, I'm Andrea Brick, Alexis' maid of honour.' Hoping to break the obvious tension Andrea held out her hand to Evil Meredith, who in turned looked at her like she was a cockroach. Fortunately for Andrea and unbeknownst to Evil Meredith, Andrea had plenty of background training in this type of feminine warfare. 'We are on our way to a reception right now for the bride and groom.'

'Oh fabulous, I can meet the groom properly this time.'

Evil Meredith looped her arm through Alexis, guided her towards the reception room. 'Andrea, can you be a lamb and introduce us? No reason not to have a little bit of a dramatic entrance for your man.'

'He's not here for this,' Alexis interjected stiffly, then explained off of Evil Meredith's confused look, 'It's Jewish tradition, we can't see each other for three days before the wedding.'

'And we are going in together,' Andrea added, to which Alexis mouthed a grateful _thank you_ to her maid of honour as they walked through the door together.

Evil Meredith, who must have skipped the word 'subtle' in her vocabulary lessons as a child, walked through the door and said at the top of her voice, 'Hello everyone! Look who's here!'

All eyes turned to them, and Alexis saw her father's face blanche white as her wedding dress when he saw his first ex-wife walk into the room as though she were the one the guests were waiting to see. Fortunately before she coudl panic herself, three of the children rushed up to Alexis and gave her huge bear hugs, effectively shunting Evil Meredith sideways.

'Alexis! It is almost your big day!' Tessi squeezed tightly, swaying a little back and forth. 'You are going to look so beautiful tomorrow!'

'You be so _lindy_!' Trini added with wide brown eyes. 'Like...like a an-shel!'

'Something like that,' Andrea chuckled as Rosie slipped her delicate hand into the nurse's capable one. 'You excited too, Rosie?'

'Yes, Andrea, I am so very excited because I like to dance, just like _prima_ Trini. I know she is going to dance the whole night with RJ.'

'I bet she will too. Alexis why don't we go and get some snacks.'

'Is there anything low fat or low-cal? Summertime red carpets, you understand,' Evil Meredith simpered and Alexis fought not to roll her eyes.

'There is fresh fruit and veggies, help yourself. Right now, I want to see my family.'

It was a subtle move, one that Andrea appreciated, but she kept her thoughts to herself as she saw Castle, Beckett and RJ approach with Beckett holding a dolled-up Jojo in her arms.

'Alessis! You here! Where Shane?' RJ asked as she scooped him up for a hug and set him back on his feet after giving him a kiss.

'He'll be here later, RJ.'

'Okay. Hi-hi, I Ah-Shay, who you?' he asked Evil Meredith politely, holding out his hand.

Evil Meredith looked at him like he'd offered her a dead rat. 'I'm Alexis' mommy.'

'Nuh-uh, this our mumum,' RJ corrected her, patting Beckett's hip. 'Her name Katie an' she the bes'. An' that our sisser Sho-sho, she way 'mall.'

'I see that. May I hold her?' Evil Meredith asked, hoping to ingratiate herself a little more. 'It's been so long since I've been around a little one.'

'Sure,' Castle said at length, knowing that to say no would cause a scene and he would let nothing upset Alexis tonight. 'Just be careful she hasn't been feeling so hot lately, the heat is really bothering her tummy.'

'Richard, I did have a child of my own, you know,' Evil Meredith returned bitterly, then smiled her trademark viper smile at Jojo. 'Yes, I'm your half-sister's mommy, aren't I, you adorable little-'

But she never finished her thought, as Jojo, who'd been studying the woman with curious eyes, suddenly coughed and out spewed her entire dinner like a shot from the world's most disgusting machine gun. Evil Meredith let out a gasp and held the whimpering Jojo out to Beckett, then fluttered her hands at herself.

'Don't you know how to control your child?' she hissed at Beckett. 'This is Dino Frangelli! It costs more than you make in a month!'

'Come on, we'll get you tidied up.' Alexis took her bio-mom's unsoiled wrist and ushered her towards the ladies' room. Once there, Alexis watched her mother dab at her expensive dress with a damp paper towel. 'Ugh, I cannot believe some people just let their children act like that in public.'

'She's seven months old, she doesn't even know where her elbows are,' Alexis replied defensively, and Evil Meredith let out a sharp laugh.

'This is why you weren't allowed to come to events. Everyone knows that children and social gatherings don't mix.'

'Why did you come here?'

'Excuse me?' Evil Meredith turned to her daughter who was propped against the wall of the lounge, looking at her with confusion in her blue eyes. 'It's your wedding, sweetheart, I'm not going to miss it for the world.'

'That's what you also said about my graduation from Cambridge and you skipped that to go shopping in Paris.'

'All the summer lines were out, was I just supposed to miss that?'

Alexis raised her eyes to the ceiling, shook her head. 'And for the record, Kate is a great mother.'

'Please, she's just looking to get a few babies and dollars out of Rick. Which reminds me, have you signed your prenup with Shane?'

'No.'

'A first marriage, you always need to have a prenup.'

For some reason, whether it was that she'd had enough go wrong with planning her wedding or the fact that her bio-mom was trying to be a snobby socialite mother, or simply that she'd rediscovered her own backbone in the weeks subsequent to her Hamptons meltdown, Alexis launched herself off the wall and grabbed her mother's arm so they were face to face.

'Now you listen to me, Meredith,' she hissed in a lethal voice. 'Shane and I love each other, the only way we are going to be apart is if one of us is dead. We are making a life together and we will have children together, and after everything I've been through I certainly don't need you coming around and telling me what's best in my life.'

'Alexis, I'm your mother-'

'No, a mother is someone who is there for you through the tough times and the good times. The gold and the shit,' Alexis said, using the phrase she and Shane always told each other. 'And the only time you've been here for me was our engagement party when you tried to pick up Shane. You haven't even bothered to email or text, or tweet.'

'I've been busy having a career.'

She didn't pull on her hair but it was damn tempting. 'So? My almost-husband is a pathologist who works shift work, sometimes doubles and he manages to find the time to visit me at Princeton. Dad and Kate, RJ and Jojo, they are my family, and I've had enough of you thinking you've always got a right to butt in just because you gave birth to me. Either be consistent or fucking forget it. Now.' Alexis huffed out a short breath with definitive authority. 'This is my party and I want you to leave because nothing is going to bring me down tonight, least of all you.'

'Fine.' Evil Meredith snapped out the words, gestured to her dress. 'I have to change anyways after what that little puke did to my clothes.'

'See you later.'

Alexis waited until Evil Meredith was clear of the door, and counted to ten in her head before she walked out, going right over to her sister. 'Jojo, you are the best secret weapon a sister could want.'


	53. The Wedding Morning I

'Oh-em-gee.'

Shane's eyes flew open and fixed on the ceiling the moment he felt even remotely awake on Friday morning, as he uttered the acronym with each syllable getting equal emphasis.

It was his wedding day.

The full weight of that knowledge had him sitting up in the queen-sized bed he'd shared with Body, and his expression was that of Alice seeing Wonderland for the first time. Unable to stay still, Shane went to the window to look out on the day. It was barely seven in the morning, and though the ceremony wasn't schedule until one, he knew that it wouldn't be a morning of lazing around.

Normally, he would have gone to the fridge for a small snack or a cold drink but that damn stupid tradition of fasting had him redirecting his attention to his iPhone where he looked up the weather forecast and swore ripely.

'Fucking hell!'

'Whassa matter, man?' Body asked sleepily, scratching at his long mink locks. 'Why are you so loud?'

'Weather forecast today is going to be low of eighty-eight, high of one-oh-two.'

'Well, we're going to be outside and we're going to be high up which might spare us a little bit. Plus there might be some breeze. Hungry?'

'Kind of, but not really.' Shane shook his head. 'Even without the imposed fast, I'm way too juiced to keep anything down.'

'Okay, okay, take a breath man,' Body laughed. He'd been friends with Shane since Body had move to the city nearly twenty years before, so he knew the signs of his pal about to hyperventilate into unconsciousness. 'Why don't you go get a shower, bro, take it easy. You want coffee, or- nope, sorry, I forgot. Does that mean the other guys are cut off too?'

'They're eating with the bridal party in the restaurant as we speak. Once they're done at eight-thirty, they are coming up here.'

'So can I nosh some of those bar nuts or get some room service or what?'

'I don't care, just don't eat around me, it's mean and I don't want to punch you on my wedding day.'

The butterflies doing a high-kicking can-can in his stomach started up an encore presentation so Shane pressed a had to his belly and bolted for the bathroom in case he was going to spew, just like Jojo had on Evil Meredith the night before. He was sorry to have missed that one, for sure, as he would have been the first one there taking pictures.

But this was only a passing thought as he turned on the taps to run water for a shower before relieving himself to accomplish three of the old adage 'shit shower and shave' before the big day really got rocking. Once under the hot spray of water, Shane tried to let his mind clear but all thoughts centred to Alexis and praying to God the wine had turned due to a bad corking job like the stuff for the rehearsal dinner had.

Too many thoughts crowding in, Shane realized as he absently. Sighing to try and get his nerves under control he zipped back the curtain and let out a yell. 'Jesus Christ, Body!'

'Nothing I haven't seen in the shower myself, bro,' Body commented, but pulled the door partially shut for his boy's sense of modesty; last thing he needed was Shane having a heart attack. 'There's a woman named Helen for you on the phone, says she's the events co-ordinator here and there's a slight problem with the banquet room.'

'Oh fuck me.'

'Sorry, that's for Faisal only.'

Shane laughed at his friend's quip though his nerves were frozen in fear. Wrapping a towel around his waist he left the bathroom and picked up the handset of the landline. 'This is Shane.'

'Shane, good morning, it's Helen from Special Events, how are you?'

'Stressed. What's going on?'

'We've had a problem with the AC unit in the room decorated for your reception, and unfortunately, your ice sculptures that were delivered last night have all melted.'

'Melted,' Shane repeated in disbelief, dragging a hand over his face. 'So now what, Helen?'

'Your gifts were all on tables as requested, nothing on the floor so they weren't ruined. As well, the flowers and those decorations are fine, but the floor and carpet are in total ruins, we won't be able to get a clean-up crew in there until at least ten this morning just to assess the damage.'

'That's just great! We've gone through absolute hell planning our wedding and now we all have to wear rubber boots for dancing?'

'No, sir.' Helen's voice was strained in the way most people sounded when they were trying not to lose their minds. 'What we are going to do is move the reception to the open air roof-top where the ceremony is taking place while you and your guests have pictures done.'

'Helen, we're having our pictures on that rooftop as well, we are going to be there until at least three in the afternoon.'

'Oh dear. Oh, dear. Okay. Let me see what I can do for you. I will call you back shortly.'

Shane said nothing just hung up the phone and without thinking twice, headed back to the bathroom where he promptly began to dry-heave into the toilet, spitting out foam and fluid. Body watched him, said nothing, as he knew there was nothing he could say.

'Dude, what's up?'

'The reception room is flooded from the ice sculptures Miss Agnes got us. The AC busted and they melted in the room overnight, ruining the floors and now Helen is scrambling to find somewhere to put us for the reception. Oh what fresh hell is this?' Shane moaned at the knock on the door.

'Probably Dave and the Ry-Sposito monster. I got it, then I'll head down to talk to this Helen. You just focus on you right now, man.'

Shane nodded and heard Body leave the bedroom for the sitting area, welcome in the men while he cupped his hand under the faucet for water and rinsed his mouth. He heard the murmur of voices, slapping of shoulders, the shutting of the hotel room's door and went into the bedroom to find the white silk boxers he's picked up especially to wear under his tux. He found one of the summer-weight robes and tied it on, then went to find his friends all in the sitting area by the room's kitchenette. All three of them were already looking sweaty and Shane knew none of them had been outside yet.

'Hey, groom, happy wedding day!' Esposito said cheerfully, getting to his feet and giving Shane a hug. 'Body told us what happened, and we think we've got a solution he's going to talk to Helen about.'

'Yeah?'

'Yeah, we thought, we're pretty close to the Tesla Concorde here, right?' Ryan looked around. 'What if we scare up some limos or hansom cabs to take everyone over there for photos and then we come back and party on the rooftop that has been changed from the ceremony venue into the reception?'

'That could work,' Shane mused, felt his stomach roil again. 'I just don't want Alexis to be freaking out.'

'I just talked to Lanie on the way up here, and Alexis is doing great, they are getting their hair and nails done as we speak,' Dave informed the ship-wrecked looking groom. It was the truth, though at this point even if Alexis was on fire and running naked in the streets, he'd tell Shane she was just great too. It was all about keeping the bride and groom calm this morning. 'I heard her dress is gorgeous.'

'Then again, she could rock a wet paper bag,' Esposito added, hoping to get his friend to smile. It worked as Shane let out a half-laugh. 'Now listen, man. Gideon got here just as we were getting on the elevator, which means that we're going to get ourselves all hot and manly for the wedding and this will work out. You and Alexis will have a beautiful wedding and a great party afterward.'

'Thanks Javi.'

Sure enough, there was another knock on the door and Dave let in Gideon Meyers, followed by his granddaughter Sosanna, and also with Beckett and RJ. Seeing the little man made Shane feel the most at ease he'd been since waking up that morning.

'Shane! Happy weddin' day!' RJ raced over, gave him a huge hug, his dark blue eyes shining. 'You the 'room today an' Alessis is a puh-retty puh-rincess buh-ride. You 'cited?'

'I've never been more excited for something in my life,' Shane replied honestly, holding up his fist for RJ to bump knuckles with him. 'But right now, I have to get ready and it's going to take a couple of hours, so you be sure to listen to your mumum and the other grown-ups, okay?'

'Okay. I see you soon! I gonna be so err-sisible in my tessi-do!'

RJ gave him a little kiss on the cheek and headed out the door with Beckett, babbling away about looking 'sha'p fo' Tah-rini', making the other men laugh while Gideon and Sosanna set up their tools. 'There should be five, I was told,' the man said, looking around. 'Where is the one with the girlie hair?'

'Body will be back in a few,' Shane started, then saw the door open, Body slipping his key into his pocket and nodding.

'Okay. Talked to Helen. She is booking limousines for the entire wedding, not just the wedding party but the whole wedding guests and all, to go to the Tesla Concorde Botanical Gardens for photos and back while they reset the rooftop terrace.'

'See bro?' Ryan squeezed Shane's shoulder as the man stood up. 'Everything is going to be just great for you and Alexis today.'


	54. The Wedding Morning II

When Andrea awoke on Friday morning, she wasn't surprised that the big bed she'd shared with Alexis was empty on the bride's side. Sitting up, she saw the girl sitting in the wing-back chair of the honeymoon suite's bedroom, staring out the window with a private little smile on her face.

'Morning, bride,' Andrea called softly in a sing-song voice and Alexis looked over with a look of pure excitement.

'Morning, maid of honour.'

'How are you feeling?'

'Nervous, but in a good way, like the day I knew I was flying out to England for school.' Alexis unfolded her legs, gave a little laugh. 'I'm going to be married by this time tomorrow.'

'You'll be married in less than eight hours, honey-lamb.'

Alexis let out a giggly shriek, then flew over jumped on the bed. 'I'm getting married today!'

Andrea laughed with just as much giddy enthusiasm, let Alexis tackle her into the pillows. It was such a relief as much as excitement to see Alexis so tickled about the wedding. All those sleepless nights were worth it just to see the look on her face this morning. 'So what's on tap first? Big fibre-friendly breakfast?'

'Nope, not allowed. Have to fast until the ceremony is done.'

'Ah, gotcha.'

'There is a breakfast thing happening downstairs, or if you want, you can order room service while I shower.'

'I'll pick door number one, Monty,' Andrea decided, then frowned. 'And I'll bring it back here so you're not alone today.'

There was a knock on the door and Andrea opened it to see Lanie and Meredeth walking in, Meredeth carrying a small plate with a glass of juice. 'Here, Andrea, for you. Oh and Sloan will be up as soon as she's finished feeding Devon.'

'Yippee. I'm going to get a shower.'

Alexis zipped into the bedroom ensuite, leaving the other women to look at each other with excitement. 'It's so nice to see her so dazzled today and not stressed,' Lanie sighed contentedly. 'Well, no more stressed than any bride would be on her big day.'

'Ain't it the truth,' Andrea agreed, answering the knock on the door. She opened it to find the make-up and hair people bringing in their big trunks of tricks to ensure Alexis looked her best for the big day. 'Come on in, the bride is just getting her shower.'

'Fantastic. Her hair-style is easier to do when wet anyways.' The stylist snapped her cherry-scented gum and grinned. 'You ladies all ready to be glamourized?'

'Right now we'll settle for having a wedding that isn't a comedy of errors,' Lanie replied honestly, thrilled when she saw Sloan use a key-card to enter, looking around in anticipation. 'Hey mama, how's the little man this morning?'

'Just great. He's with Kate and RJ, and RJ's telling him that he better not try to moosh Jojo, he'll be watching him.'

'God that kid is his father through and through,' Meredeth chuckled. 'Okay, who gets to start with what?'

'Alexis and Sloan are getting their nails done together first, so they will dry quickly and their hair, and then- oh go away,' Andrea grumbled at the ringing room phone, yet picked it up anyways. 'Bridal suite, this is Andrea.'

'Andrea, it's Body. Is Alexis handy?'

'She's getting her nails done, why? What's up?'

On his end of the phone, Body let out a little sigh. 'I just talked to Shane, who talked to Helen the events co-ordinator and apparently the reception room is trashed. The AC flatlined last night and the ice sculptures melted, so the carpet is in ruins, which means that we have to jerry-rig where the reception is going to be held.'

'Shit,' was all Andrea could think of to say. She looked to the bedroom double-doors and thought of going in and telling Alexis straight away. She decided no, let the girl get herself together a few minutes, and asked Body, 'what's the solution right now?'

'Working on it.'

'Well work fast. Call back when you have it solved.'

'What's going on?' Meredeth asked when Andrea hung up. 'Is Shane okay?'

'Shane's fine, but the reception room is flooded which means they need time to tear down the ceremony and reset for the reception on the rooftop where they were originally supposed to have their photos done.'

'Man, this is just brutal for them!' Lanie exclaimed, pouting in sympathy. 'The sooner you tell her, the better.'

'Tell who what?'

Andrea looked over to wear Alexis stood in the doorway, walking on her heels so as not to smudge her toes that were painted the same shimmering purple to match the bridesmaids dresses. Andrea looked at her, patted the space on the bed beside her. When Alexis sat down, Andrea stroked her arm gently. 'Alexis, the reception room is flooded, which means that the roof terrace where the ceremony is being held is going to be converted into the reception hall as well.'

'Okay, so what does that mean for pictures? What about the gifts that were stored in there, all the flowers and the food and the DJ?'

'Body is working it out with the events coordinator and he's going to fill me in when he has something to let us know. In the mean time the thing to focus on is getting dressed for the ceremony.'

Alexis nodded, refusing to let this sudden left turn in the last frame get to her. Instead she rose and walked back into the bedroom to finish getting her mani-pedi done. From her spot, Sloan glanced up and saw the slightly numbed look on Alexis' face.

'What happened?'

'Reception room flooded and now we're having to use a plan-B situation,' Alexis replied, then began to laugh a little; in a few seconds she was almost hysterical. 'Oh, God, Sloan! This is just like being in a Pink Panther movie. I swear in some alternate universe, Inspector Clouseau is mine and Shane's wedding planner! But it will be fine, it will work out, as Shane has told me since January.'

By the time Alexis had finished with her nails and she was slipping into her wedding-dress underthings that would hold her body in place beneath the beautiful fabric, a resolution had been reached that was definitely no small shakes either - limos to the Tesla Botanical Gardens and back for photos while the hotel staff at DeHeere Towers moved the entire reception to the same terrace as the ceremony.

When the other women disappeared into the parlour of the honeymoon suite so Andrea could help Alexis get into her dress, she felt a sudden, strange calm wash over her. Maybe it was the low blood sugar or maybe it was just realizing that all the hoopla, the slip-ups and last minute changes couldn't diminish one simple truth.

It was her wedding day and she was going to marry the love of her life.

Andrea stepped behind her to finish fastening the hidden zipper, stepped back to admire the dress - it was a gorgeous snowflake satin creation with a Queen Anne neckline, a fashionable undertucking just below the bust and a floating a-line silhouette. Her shoes were gorgeous peeptoe satin wedges that gave her just enough lift so her hemline was skimming the surface of the floor. Her hair was swept up, smoothed back sleekly from her face into a swirling knot at the high-point of the back of her head and a band of silver and jeweled links formed a band just inches back from her hairline.

'Wow,' was all Alexis could say. 'I look...like a bride.'

'Let's go show everyone!'

Andrea flung open the doors with a flourish and Alexis stepped out, grinning in bashful hope as she saw Meredeth, Lanie, and Sloan in their dresses and holding their bouquets of lilacs and gardenias, along with Shir and Beckett with Jojo in her arms. 'Here comes the bride,' she said lightly and all the women gasped in astonishment.

'Alexis, you are stunning,' Meredeth breathed with a hand over her heart. 'Just stunning.'

'Damn girl, you are going to kill him at the altar,' Lanie added approvingly.

Alexis looked over, saw Beckett had tears sparkling in her eyes, as did Shir. 'Mom? Shir?'

'Alexis, you are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen.'

'Bide,' Jojo piped up, and everyone turned to look at the baby as she repeated, 'Bide. Bide?'

'That is too cute!' Sloan's grin widened in amazement. 'Her first word is bride!'

'That's right, my little bumblebee! Alexis is a bride today!' Beckett said with a sob in her voice as she kissed Jojo's cheek.

'Sis bide!' Jojo clapped, smiled. 'Sis bide!'

'Thank you Jojo.' Alexis crossed to her, gave her sister a kiss on the cheek. 'That's right, I'm the bride today, and Shane is the groom, and we are going to find RJ and the other boys.'

'Shay! Shay?'

'We'll find him soon enough. But just now, you need your something old.' Shir went over to a small box on the table, lifted out a beautifully filigreed silver and crystal necklace which she draped around Alexis' throat. 'This was my mother's on her wedding day. She gave it to me for mine, and now it's your turn to wear it.'

'Oh, Shir, I don't know what to say.'

'Your dad sings ABBA songs in the shower,' Beckett blurted out, knowing it would distract Alexis from crying and saw it worked as she giggled.

'Yes, yes he does.'

'Here.' Andrea stepped over with a white florist's box, and lifted the waterfall of purple hyacinth, white roses, lilacs and gardenias from a glossy green bed of flowers. 'Okay, Alexis. It's that time.'


	55. Alexis and Shane Get Married

_So here we are! The chapter all of this craziness has been leading to! Now I will say this outright - I am not Jewish nor have I attended a Jewish wedding, so for my Crumbsians who are or have attended a Jewish wedding, I hope I've done it justice as I had to rely on research alone to try and get it right! But enough from me! Get ready to sniffle!_

* * *

><p>On the rooftop patio terrace, Shane stood with Rabbi Oliver under the chuppah nervously waiting for his bride. The day was hot and bright as promised, and as Body had predicted, being high up out of the urban canyon meant there was also some breeze.<p>

'Relax, Shane,' Oliver reassured him. 'You'll do fine. I particularly like this chuppah you had done. Quite exquisite.'

'Yeah, it's great.'

The chuppah was indeed a gorgeous creation: the four pillars were carved out of oak with grapevines, fish, the names of their family and the phrase that was on Alexis' necklace and tattooed over Shane's heart. When designing it with Esposito's friend, Shane had told him they represented the four cornerstones of a happy marriage - food, wine, family and love.

Now, under the canopy, he stood in his tuxedo, a white rose pinned to his lapel and a matching white yarmulke on his head beside the rabbi and tried not to fidget with the folded square of white silk in his hands.

'I'm- Shoulder I be holding this? I feel like I'm going to sweat all over Alexis' veil,' he said nervously.

'Shane, it's fine,' Oliver laughed. Never had he seen a young man so anxious to see his bride. 'Deep breath son. Just remember let me do the talking and all you two have to do is follow my directions.'

'Right. Right.'

Oliver put his hand on Shane's shoulder, patted lightly. 'You'll be just great, Shane.'

'Thank you. And thanks for doing this on such short notice, too.'

'Anything for Richard Castle's firstborn.'

Shane nodded and he watched with a sharply sucked-in breath as Body came down the centre aisle to him, the dusky lilac yarmulke pinned atop his hair; as promised it was straightened and slicked into a queue at the nape of his neck. He ducked to avoid the canopy, and murmured to Shane, 'The girls are all here in the alcove. We're ready.'

'Okay.'

Body grinned at Shane, laughed a little. 'This is it man, you'll be great. Just breathe.'

'Everyone's saying that to me today.'

Shane watched him walk back down the aisle and with a heavy thudding heart he heard the music start that they had chosen - Malcolm Arnold's _Siciliano_ - and he watched as the pairs of people came down the aisle; Lanie and Dave, Meredeth and Esposito, Ryan and Sloan, until finally there was Andrea and Body walking up to him. With a deep swallow, Shane nodded at them both and forced himself to take a solid step instead of the nervous one he thought he might.

Then he was taking another, and another until he'd reached the end of the aisle and stopped short at the vision he saw seated before him, his parents and her parents forming four corners around her. Her dress only accentuated the creamy rose of her skin, the blue of her eyes, and he recognized the necklace she wore right away; on her lap was RJ with his little matching yarmulke to Shane's and the pillow with the ring on it.

'Shane, Alessis is so puh-retty,' he breathed, and Shane nodded as he kept his eyes on Alexis' face. He held out the silk and Chaim, Shir, Beckett and Castle, who unfolded it to stretch it out into a full square. Too overcome to say anything, he watched her stand up, slipping RJ to his feet and sending him down the aisle where he met Andrea and stayed standing beside her while Alexis rose to her feet, flowers in hand as the four parents draped the silk on her head and Alexis held out a hand to Shane.

'Hi,' she said softly.

'Hi,' he replied, and looped her arms through his as they walked up the aisle together, followed by the four parents until they stood beneath the chuppah in front of Rabbi Oliver. Everyone remained standing as Alexis made her seven circles around Shane, and with each pass she could hear him murmuring to her the count. When she'd reached seven, she stopped so she was standing on his right hand side before the rabbi.

'Shalom, and welcome to all,' Oliver began, 'on this beautiful day where we celebrate the joining of two souls into one of joy through the bonds of marriage. Today the _kallah_, bride Alexis Harper, and the _chatan_, groom Scheine Asa, come together under the _chuppah_ outside to represent the blessing of God to the patriach Abraham, that his children should as the stars in heaven. So too, should the multitudes of joy and happiness in marriage be plentiful.'

Oliver raised the first of two silver chalices of wine, speaking in Hebrew the blessing of the wine while Alexis kept her eyes steady, her heart-rate quickening with each passing moment. She watched him lower the goblet, pass it to her as they turned to face each other. Her eyes met Shane's and relief swamped her when she saw he was just as excited and nervous as she was. She took a sip, recognized it as her father's favourite Chateauneuf de Pape; the familiarity of it made her smile, and she watched Shane's face as he sipped as well and recognized the flavour.

'At this time we also ask for the ring bearer to step forward and present the ring to the _chatan_ for placement and blessing. For just as a ring has no beginning or end, so love in a marriage knows no stops or starts.'

Shane and Alexis both looked down as RJ stepped over, held up the pillow.

'Here you go, Shane,' he said politely. 'It so puh-retty.'

'Thanks bro,' Shane replied huskily, and took the simple band from the pillow, slipped it onto Alexis' finger. He let a little breath, as both of them knew by this point in the ceremony, they were officially married. He mouthed, _I love you_ to her and saw her mouth back _I love you too_ as Oliver continued to perform the rites.

'As above, so below, we must also solidify the responsibilities of the _chatan_ to his _kallah_ in the form of the _ketuvah_. At this time I ask the best man and the maid of honour to step forward as witnesses.'

Shane turned to the table where the digitally created _ketuvah_ was waiting for his signature. It would be displayed in their home as most couples would display a wedding portrait, which they would also have at the end of the day. When he saw Andrea and Body step forward, he bent to sign the document with the fountain pen of sapphire blue ink; he'd chosen that pen because the ink was the same colour as Alexis' eyes. He straightened, stepped back so Andrea and Body could sign, and grinned when each kissed his cheeks. That wasn't part of strict tradition but it fit so Shane said nothing about it as he returned to his spot beside Alexis while Oliver picked up the _ketuvah_ and read aloud the Aramaic and the English translation of Shane's promise to provide for his wife.

Alexis felt her head spin a little bit at all the trappings that were so foreign to her, all the while thinking of the only thing that matter today: this was her wedding. She was a married woman today.

Shane tuned out Oliver's recitation of the document as he felt Alexis' hand in his as a single thought circled in his brain: this was his wedding. He was a married man today.

'Let us _davin_,' Oliver said, putting down the ketuvah which he would frame and deliver to the couple at the reception. He watched the group of guests bow their heads and he began the Seven Blessings. 'Holy Lord, bless the union of Alexis and Shane with love and faith, let them know You through the union of love and body and soul, that the blessed Creator and Ultimate Redeemer have sanctified this union and that you find in each other the joy and love with which He blesses all creations.'

The blessings were recited once more in Hebrew as Alexis and Shane turned to each other once more, and they were passed the second cup of wine, once more filled with Castle's Chateauneuf de Pape. Finally came the only part that Alexis had been familiar with prior to meeting Shane - Oliver rounded his ceremonial altar and knelt to place a glass globe wrapped in a white handkerchief between their feet.

Holding her hand tightly, Shane winked at Alexis as she gave him a little countdown and he brought the sole of his shoe crashing down on the glass. The moment the tinkling _crunch!_ was heard, everyone leapt to their feet yelling 'Mazeltov!', and Shane couldn't wait any longer. He pulled Alexis tight against him and crushed his lips against hers, as though they were long-lost lovers reuniting for the first time.

Alexis felt a shiver skip down her spine as she wrapped her arms around Shane's shoulders, pulling him in for hands-down the hottest kiss she'd ever had in public. When she pulled back, she was grinning and trying not to laugh.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' Oliver managed to get out around his own applause and the many many cheers, 'it is my great honour to present to you Doctor Shane and Alexis Weaver.'

Somehow the cheers managed to get even louder as Shane and Alexis left from under the chuppah and walked down the aisle, seeing how Chaim and Shir, and Castle, Beckett and Martha all had tears running down their faces as they passed. Both the bride and the groom wanted to stop and say hello to them, but they had other priorities, namely food.

As the _yichud_ location had been changed from the patio of the reception room to the limousine, they didn't stop moving for anyone until they hit the alcove that served as an elevator lobby and the moment they were in the elevator, Shane turned to Alexis and smiled.

'Hello, wife.'

'Hello, husband.'


	56. The First Married Hours

'Alexis, you look sensational, just...wow.' Shane pressed a hand to his heart as they rode the private elevator to the lobby. 'I didn't think it was possible for you to look any more beautiful.'

'Me? You're the one looking all sexy and European in that tuxedo.'

'Yarmulke and all?'

'Especially the yarmulke,' Alexis reassured him, gave him a saucy wink. 'Maybe later you can wear just that. You know, strategically placed.'

Shane put a hand on his head to feel the traditional cap, then returned her wink. 'Alexis, my sweet little strawberry, you've seen me naked, you think this would cover it?'

'Not at all.'

They reached the lobby and weren't at all surprised to find a sleek black and silver limo waiting outside with a liveried driver holding up the sign that said 'Weaver'. The moment they'd scooted into the back of the limo, Alexis' eyes went greedy when she saw the snacks. There was a verifiable feast laid out on a small table in the middle of the limousine's elongated cabin: freshly steamed gyoza swimming a honey-garlic and ginger sauce, a plate full of fresh mango, pineapple, strawberries and papaya, a basket of sliced baguettes, a small tray of cheese and a dish of red pepper jelly, all as requested. In the minibar was a bottle of champagne on ice, chilled orange juice and several varieties of soft drinks.

'What would you like first, Missus Weaver?' Shane asked her with unmitigated delight.

'A drink. Liquid sugar so I don't scarf food down and then make myself sick, Doctor Weaver,' Alexis replied with a mile-wide grin while they made their way through the streets of Manhattan. When Shane - her _husband_, she thought with a giddy giggle - turned back to her with a plastic bottle of Seven-Up in his hand and a Doctor Pepper for himself, she cracked the lid open and guzzled, ready to cry.

'Oh fuck me, that's amazing.'

'You say that now...' Shane traced his fingers up and down her soft, naked arm. 'Just wait until later tonight.'

'You naughty rogue,' Alexis laughed, then drank more pop before grabbed a fork and stabbing a few chunks of fruit into a modified kebab. She nibbled them like a queen, alternating with her drink, while Shane went right for the bread and cheese and jelly.

They laughed and chatted about their respective mornings of preparation while they snacked, as the limo moved smoothly through traffic to the Tesla Concorde which was adjacent to the gorgeous Tesla Botanical Gardens. It was the same place where Andrea and Daniel had had their wedding, and would now be the place where they had their wedding photos.

As the limo glided to a stop, Alexis dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, then remembered something crucial. 'Oh shit! Andrea has your ring, I was going to give it to you while we ate!'

'Not to worry, Lex,' Shane assured her, 'you can give it to me later.'

'You bet I'll give it to you later.'

'Now who's the naughty one?'

He leaned in and gave her a light kiss as the driver came around and opened their door; Shane stepped out with his hand extended to Alexis, and watched as his vision in white - his wife - stepped out onto the sidewalk with him. The doormen held open the doors for them and once they'd stepped inside, a smartly dressed man with almond eyes and a tawny brushcut approached them.

'Mister and Missus Weaver, welcome, I'm Derek Perry the events coordinator here. I'm here to escort your wedding party to the gardens for your wedding photographs.'

'Thank you for being so accommodating on such short notice,' Alexis told him in sincere gratitude.

'For Richard Castle's daughter, anything. Here we are.' Derek led them over to the Events entrance of the Gardens, showed them through where the bride and groom gasped in awe. The air was cool and fragrant with summer blossoms, and the mist off the waterfall and the fountain was most welcoming on a record-heat day. 'I'll inform you when I hear from Helen at DeHeere.'

'Thanks again.' Shane shook the man's hand, then wanting a few moments along with Alexis, took her hand and they walked down to the fountain which both of them remembered as the spot where Andrea and Daniel had had their wedding photos taken. Now it would be their special place as well. 'You know, this might be even better than what we had originally planned, Lex.'

'Oh, I know!' Alexis nodded as they walked over to the fountain, then patted her hips like she was checking her pockets. 'Shane, do you have a penny or any kind of coin?'

'Actually, I do.' Shane reached into the pockets of his tuxedo trousers and came up with a nickle for each of them. 'I was always fidgety when I went to temple with my mother, so she made me put a shekel in each of my pockets to stop from driving her crazy. It stuck with me.'

'Neat.' Alexis took a coin and stood in front of the fountain with him, holding his hand. 'What should we wish for? Fame and fortune? A hundred babies? The secret formula to Coca-Cola?'

'How about we wish for a rain-free night tonight, no turbulence on our honeymoon flights and just enough drama in our lives to make things fun?' Shane flipped his nickle into the fountain and grinned at the _sploosh_ as it sank to the marble bottom. 'That's my wish.'

'And mine...mine is that we have no drips or spills on our wedding clothes, no lost luggage on our honeymoon and just enough drama in our lives to make things fun,' she agreed with him, launching her coin into the fountain. 'I'm sharing that one with you because your my husband now.'

'Damn right I am.'

Alexis turned to him, gave him a kiss, then looked around. 'Care to dance?'

'How very Federico Fellini of us.'

Shane tugged on their joined hands and put his free hand on her waist and as they waltzed by the fountain to an unknown tune. 'Hey, where's your flowers? They were so pretty, what happened to them?'

'They are with Andrea, she was holding them through the ceremony, and she should still have them. But they're not the ones I'm going to through for the bouquet toss.'

'Oh?'

She shook her head. 'No, those ones I'm keeping, I had a bouquet like the bridesmaids' bouquets done for throwing. And ah...Ryan mentioned it to me that you are going to be doing the garter toss with your teeth?'

'Yeah, a little promise from the bachelor party. Don't worry, you'll be bright red with embarrassment like every other bride in history.'

'It's not even that, it's the music choice. That's the one that always makes it cheesy and embarrassing. I remember at Meredeth and Javi's wedding, they picked out 'Buttons' and Andrea and Daniel had Tom Jones.'

'I picked a sexy song that has meaning for us, but before you ask, I'm not telling because that's cheating.'

'See no one except the girls cares about the bouquet toss so my song choice for that is far less significant.' Alexis gave a flirty pout. 'Once again, the guys get the better end of it, getting to tease you and act like cavemen.'

'I heard the stories here and there about your bachelorette weekend, Alexis,' Shane ribbed her and gave her a little twirl, pulled her back into his arms. 'You and your ladies know how to throw down, too.'

'That we do.'

'Lex?'

'Shane?'

'I love you,' he told her simply, and Alexis stopped them, eyes filling up and she waved her hands in front of her face.

'I love you too, and I swore I wouldn't cry today!'

'Here.' Shane dug out his pocket square and dabbed it under her eyes. 'There, my first duty as a husband fulfilled, to dry my wife's tears when she's all _verklempt_.'

'And what does it say about me that hearing you break out the Yiddish makes me tingly? Or is it Hebrew?'

'Why don't we focus on the tingly instead?'

Alexis grinned and pulled him in for a kiss, lost in him until they heard the creaking of the opening door and the echo of voices which they knew like their own.

'Mumum, where is Alessis and Shane?'

'Sis.'

'That's righ', Sho-sho, Alessis is our sisser and Shane is ou' buh-ro in-law.'

'I think they're probably taking a few moments for themselves down by that beautiful fountain, and...yes, I was right! There's the happy couple!'

Alexis and Shane looked at their families coming down the marble walkway to the fountain: Beckett and Castle, the latter carrying Jojo on his hip while RJ walked steps in front of them, and with Jim, Martha, Chaim and Shir walking behind them like an honour guard. Naturally, RJ was the first one to reach them and he raced over to give them each hugs.

'Hurray! You guys married now! Now Shane, we fish-ly buh-ros,' RJ declared with a wide grin as he held up his arms to be lifted, and Shane obliged him. 'But Mumum say you goin' on va-ca-tion ah-morrow.'

'That's right, it's called a honeymoon, it's a little trip that newlyweds take to celebrate being together,' Alexis told her brother, excitement shimmering through her body. 'But tonight, we are going to party our butts off.'

'We dancing?'

'We are dancing until the sun comes up.'

The door opened again and there were more voices to be heard, which had Shane and Alexis grinning.

'Now comes the fun part.'


	57. The First Dance Improvement

The pictures at the Tesla Botanical Gardens turned out beautifully, as not only did they have the soft and loving afternoon light filtered through the skylights but they also had air conditioning which was appreciated by everyone. While Sloan's assistant photographer Greg took the portraits with Sloan doing much of the direction, Derek of the Tesla Concorde brought in a drinks trolley so when they went back to the hotel they would not feel wilted and waste a gorgeous summer night in the city.

Upon returning to the DeHeere Towers, they took the elevator up to the rooftop where the space had been transformed into a private party paradise. There were tiki torches places at intervals around the edges of the patio, and beneath the chuppah was the head table for the bride, groom and wedding party while directly opposite it on the other end of the terrace was the DJ's table. The cake wasn't there yet, which wasn't surprising as it would have been a puddle of melted sugar in the sweltering heat of the afternoon sun. Shane and Alexis had insisted on dinner beginning at five sharp so that they would be able to start the dancing at seven and get every last ounce of party in they could.

More than anything, Alexis and Shane were loving wandering around the patio, looking at the flowers and the candles and taking in the moment, and along the way, making sure they got candid pictures with everyone, even the children. When they stopped to take a group photo with all the Esposito children, Alexis had to find a chair to sit on so that they could all get in with her.

'C..Come on everyone, we have to suh-quish in!' Tessi told her siblings, not at all surprised when little Max wriggled on Alexis' lap like a little fish. 'Max is getting wiggly an' we don't want him to wreck Alexis' nice dress.'

'No suh-mudgies!' Trini, ever the fashion plate, cried in protest and Leo nodded.

'It a nice duh-dress.'

Max just gurgled and clapped his hands as Alexis posed with him and Shane, and when Esposito had finished taking the picture for his children, Shane heard the sound of little shoes running on the stones. He turned and caught RJ just before he plowed into the group like a bull in a china shop.

'Shane, put me down, puh-lease, I haffa talk to my Tah-rini!' RJ insisted and Trini gave a shy little shrug, her cheeks pinking.

'Hi Ah-Shay, you so han'some,' she said bashfully and RJ patted his tuxedo, then looked around.

'Shane, I nee' a fuh-lower.'

'A flower?'

'Uh-huh.'

Shane looked around, snagged a gardenia blossom out of Alexis' large wedding ceremony bouquet. 'Here you go, bro.'

'Gassy. Tah-rini, this fo' you.' RJ passed her the flower and Trini's cheeks went from pink to red as he pecked the left one. 'You my see-hot an' you nee' a fuh-lower.'

'Gassy, Ah-Shay. I 'nacky, where a 'nack?'

'I'unno, we find one.'

RJ took Trini's hand and they scampered off, making Leo and Tessi roll their eyes. 'Tah-rini so boy silly,' Leo said with such aplomb that Shane had to laugh.

'Boy silly?'

'Mami says that Tah-rini is a little miss fuh-lirty-pants.,' Tessi explained. 'I'm hungry when is it dinner time?'

'Soon, princess,' Esposito reassured her, then looked over at the young man standing by a table with a small glass of Diet Coke. 'And I think there's someone over there who wants to say hi, Tessi.'

'Where?' Tessi looked around, saw Dell wave her over and she gave Alexis and Shane each a hug. 'Excuse me, puh-lease, I am going to talk to Dell.'

Leo hung back with Alexis and Shane, watched his other sister go over to Dell, where he generously gave her a sip of his beverage and then nudged Alexis with his little elbow. 'Tessi boy silly too.'

'We better go find Mami so Max can have his dinner before we want to eat.' Esposito scooped up his boys and winked at Alexis and Shane on his way past. 'We'll see you soon.'

'Bye.' Shane waved them off, then pulled Alexis to her feet. 'This is going to be quiet a night, all these hormones zipping around the patio tonight, big and small.'

'I'm looking forward to it too,' Alexis added, then murmured in his ear when he was close, 'seeing what gets big later on.'

'I don't know if you're on some new needle for your birth control or if there were oysters in those gyoza, but I'm loving naughty Lex,' Shane murmured back to her, caught her chin to give her a kiss.

'Chalk it up to excitement of our wedding day and not sleeping beside you since Monday.'

'Well, I don't think we're going to be sleeping tonight either,' Shane added with a wink, and watched her cheeks flush a little. 'Come on, I think it's time to sit down for dinner.'

* * *

><p>Between courses of the delicious wedding feast, Body and Andrea, the Castles, and the Weavers - or the elder Weavers, Shane thought, as he and Alexis were now 'The Weavers' too - all gave touching and lovely speeches about how love always found a way and despite or maybe because of the many factors that could have worked against them, their love found a way to flourish and those trials already faced in nearly four years of being together meant they would be able to face the highs and lows together as a team.<p>

By the time the dessert was cleared and people were milling about once more, Alexis went over to see her mother, her grandmother and her mother-in-law all standing by the gift table and cooing over Jojo's newfound vocabulary.

'Can you say 'gift', Jojo?' Martha encouraged her. 'Come on my darling, say 'gift', I know you can.'

'Dif.'

Shir applauded her. 'Can you say 'mazel tov' Jojo?'

'Zov.'

'That's a good try too.'

'Sis!'

'Now that one she knows,' Alexis smiled, kissing her sister's cheek and not at all surprised when Jojo puckered up and kissed her back. The girl loved giving kisses. 'Let's try another one. Can you say 'moosh', bumblebee?'

'Mush. Mush?'

'Why is this word so important?' Shir asked, sipping her wine as she contemplated taking off her shoes for dancing that night. 'I am not familiar with it.'

'Detective Ryan, his son is the oldest of all the babies in our family's second generation,' Alexis explained, 'and when he was learning to talk, he couldn't say 'kiss' so Kevin, that's Detective Ryan's first name-'

'I remember that from when we worked together on my agent's case,' Shir interrupted with a small smile.

'Right, he taught Dell to say 'smooch' instead only it came out as 'moosh' and it seems to have stuck with all of our children.'

'Mush,' Jojo added with finality, then kissed her mother's cheek. 'Mush?'

'That's a moosh, bumblebee.' Beckett returned the kiss to her youngest daughter, then looked at the oldest one, the newlywed. 'It's been a beautiful day so far, Alexis.'

'Yeah, and we're just about to start with the dancing, in fact...' Alexis pointed to the DJ who had picked up his microphone and begun to speak.

'Alright everyone it's time to get the night started with the first dance of the newlyweds so if everyone could please join us by the dance floor, that would be great.'

Alexis zipped over to the dancefloor, found Shane there and slipped her hand into his, grinning as he took her waist in his hand just like they had by the fountain and waited for the opening notes of Van Morrison's _Someone Like You_.

But instead of soft, slow-piano jazz, a sudden jolt of remixed electric guitar came through loud and clear and Alexis and Shane looked over at the DJ, horrified. Without a second thought, she picked up her skirts and darted over to the table. 'That's not our song! We asked for Van Morrison _Someone Like You!'_ she hissed, Shane right behind her.

'I'm sorry, Missus Weaver, I don't have that file here,' the DJ apologized as other came over to ask about the problem.

'What's going on?' Meredeth asked, flanking Alexis and boring holes into the DJ's face. 'What's the issue?'

'He doesn't have our song after we created the playlist with him almost a month ago,' Shane said with a small sneer.'

'Okay, we can fix this. Go on out there, we got it covered,' she assured the bride with a pat on the shoulder, then whistled for others to come over.

Shane walked with Alexis back into the middle of the dance floor and held her hands. 'It's okay, Lex, we know in our hearts what our song is.'

'I know, but-'

'Attention, excuse me everyone.' Meredeth's voice came through the DJ's microphone loud and clear as a small group had gathered with her and she gave everyone her trademark winning smile. 'So this isn't exactly how the bride and groom anticipated this moment going, nor is it the song they originally wanted but hopefully this will be just as pretty. Maestro, if you please.'

The DJ noddded and he pressed a button on his tables, and soon the strains of a classic love song floated through the speakers, as Meredeth began to sing in her beautiful rolling alto.

_Wise men say, only fools rush in_

Shane and Alexis both looked at Andrea, caught her wink as the others began to join in serenading them while the newlyweds circled on the dance floor, all eyes on them. 'I think this turned out to be even better than we planned, too.'


	58. The Very Public Seduction

_Hello all! So glad you are like this story, it's kinda sad to see it's almost done! But there are a few more moments yet to come and this one you'll need a cold drink for! Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>'More wine!'<p>

'Did you see that necklace?'

'Oh I know, that brisket was just delicious, I can't eat any more for the month!'

Alexis smiled as she made her way to the bar for a bottle of water; she'd had more than her share of wine at dinner and wanted a clear head for the night of dancing as everyone who mattered most to her and Shane let loose on the dance floor. She turned and watched him, dancing with Sloan and chatting to her, then pressed a hand to her heart as the music slowed and Shane's friend Jeremy came up to tap the new mother on the shoulder and take her in his arms for a dance. She did a little boogie on the spot when Shane approached, looking rather impressed.

'That's quite the matchmaking skills you've got there, Shane,' she commented, watching the couple chatter away like old friends.

'Oh? Can I get a beer, please?' Shane asked the bar tender, then put an arm around Alexis' shoulders. 'According to your friend Jacqui, Jeremy spent the entire dinner listening to Natalia the Nanny talk about what an amazing mother Sloan is for little Devon and how Garrett was such a chowder-head for leaving her as he did.'

'You don't think Jeremy's going to try and score with her at the wedding, see her as an easy mark, do you?' Alexis asked, concerned for her friend's safety. 'She's still getting used to going it alone with the parenting thing.'

'Jeremy's not Barney Stinson, Lex. He likes a nice romp in the sack as much as any man, but he's got his principles.'

'Okay. You know him better than I do, so I trust your judgment.'

Shane tapped his beer against Alexis' water; he wasn't much into wine so he'd only had a single glass compared to her three during dinner. 'So...when do we get to get out of here do that consummation thing.'

'Man, you are all about getting me naked, aren't you?'

'I haven't seen you since Tuesday. That you were in New York and I couldn't see you was driving me more than a little batty. I'd be happy if you were going commando under a brown paper bag as long as it's you.'

'Shalexis!'

Both turned to see Lanie wobbling over, eyes shining with cheer and drinks. 'Doctor Parrish-Robbins, have you been into the wine?' Shane teased his friend and colleague.

'Uh-huh, and it is ver' tasty,' she replied, then gave them each a little hug and kiss on the cheek. 'Jus' wanted to say it's a l-lovely wedding before I go sober up to look after my children. But not all the way, it's fun gettin Dave in the sack with a little buzz on.'

'Well don't wander too far, we're doing the bouquet toss shortly.'

Lanie smiled. 'You think since most of the girls at the wedding are married, that changes the meaning of the super'tition?'

'No. Here, take this.' Alexis handed over her bottle of water to Lanie, kissed her cheek. 'Have a few sips and go look after your babies.'

Lanie cracked the bottle, guzzled, then shook her head. 'Already feeling better,' she smiled. 'Congrats again, girl. You guys are oging to love being married.'

'Thanks.'

Lanie wandered off and Shane grinned. 'Man, Dave doesn't have a prayer tonight.'

'Hey, look at that.' Alexis nudged her husband's ribs, pointed to where RJ and Trini were holding hands and dancing together the way children do, and they saw that RJ was careful not to step on Trini's toes. 'Think we'll be dancing at their wedding in twenty years time?'

'Nah, not them. Them first.'

Shane pointed to another corner of the dance floor where Dell and Tessi where also dancing together with a little more finesse - his hand was on her waist and he gave her a little twirl, making Tessi's skirt pillow a little, and Dell dropped her hand, batted it down so no one would see her underpants. 'He's very sweet and attentive to her.'

'He's been that way since she was a bumpy,' Alexis giggled, then heard the DJ announce that it was time for the honoured tradition of the bouquet and garter toss. 'I think that's our cue.'

She smiled as Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' pumped through the speakers while the female guests all assembled. It seemed an appropriate song for the bouquet toss since it was the far less entertaining portion of this part of the night, so she wanted to make it as memorable for the wedding video as possible. When all the women, including the youngsters like Tessi and Rosie and Kelley were there, Alexis stood up on a chair facing the girls - her aim was terrible if she couldn't see her target - and launched the bouquet of lilacs and gardenias into the air. There was a mad scramble and the flowers finally ended up clutched hotly in the fist of Sloan, which made her grin. If anyone needed a little spiritual booster on a day like today, it was her longtime friend.

Of course, at this part of the night, what the crowd really wanted to see was the garter toss, as it was a combination of humiliation and raunchy innuendo. It was the only downside of a wedding, Alexis thought, that it was pretty much announced to everyone that the bride and groom would be getting laid that night. She and Shane had made no attempt at false modesty that they didn't do things like that - kinda hard to do so when Ryan and Esposito found them out after she and Shane had obviously showered together - but there was a difference between it being a natural part of a relationship and another thing to have it be broadcast in front of their parents.

Still, when Body brought over the chair she'd stood on for the bouquet toss, Alexis sat down like Cinderella waiting for the prince to slip the glass slipper onto her foot. She wondered if this would be quick and dirty like a pelvic exam at the doctor's office; her wishful thinking went right out the door when she watched the crowd of people at the edges of the dance floor, the men all gathered eagerly behind Shane like he was Tony and the groom's party the Jets backing him in a rumble. Just before she could start to wonder what he was up to, a very familiar song came through the speakers and she felt a rush in her veins.

Shane schooled himself so that he wouldn't be grinning as The Philosopher Kings' 'Hurts to Love You' throbbed through the speakers. He'd chosen this song very deliberately since it was the same song Alexis had used to give him a birthday striptease just days before they'd celebrated dating for a year. He knew how to give payback of the fun kind, and by God, he'd waited for this one. Keeping his eyes on hers the entire time, he popped the cuffs of his dress shirt as he walked toward her. He saw the curiosity and the knowledge in her eyes, along with her shift in body language. She was no longer on edge but waiting gleefully for him. When he reached her, he pulled her to her feet, twirled her so that he had his beautiful wife in his arms. His hands drifted down her sides to her hips, pulling her close against him, and Alexis' eyes popped when she felt him against her body.

'Soon, my love. We'll be together like that soon,' he murmured to her, stroking his hands over her arms, down to her hands which he closed over the back of the chair. 'Just hang on.'

'Uh-huh,' was all Alexis could manage as she felt Shane kneel on one knee in front of her, moved his hands down her legs to her knee and felt him take the crook of the right one into his hand, lift her up so that the ball of her right foot rested on his shoulder. As the men whistled and cheered him on, Shane gave her a little wink, which made Alexis think she just might pass out from the heat of it all.

With her knee at a right ankle, she watched Shane flip the edge of her skirt up so everyone could see she had on stockings with blue and white lace at the top for her 'something blue' and four inches above her knee was a white and silver garter with the numbers 7-8 printed on the ribbon for the date of their anniversary. She forced herself to stay upright, and not let her head roll back in instinctual, loving pleasure as she felt Shane kiss the inside of her knee, then move up her leg to catch the bit of lace and satin in his teeth and start to tug it downwards. Somewhere in the distant background she heard the guests chanting and cheering him on until the band was down her calf and loose around her ankle, at which point Shane slipped it off her and held it up like a banner of war.

Shane fired the garter into the crowd of men like a slingshot and was thrilled when it was Esposito who caught it, since he was one of the two men to learn about his relationship with Alexis. When he turned back and saw Alexis had adjusted her skirt and was still holding onto the chair with one hand while she fanned her face with the other, he put his hand at the small of her back to pull her in for a steaming kiss that made the rest of them wolf-whistle until his ears rang.

'Well,' she managed to get out, 'here I thought the sex on our wedding night would be just for you me, and maybe our video camera.'

'Alexis, my wonderful strawberry wife,' Shane replied, 'that was just a preview of tonight.'

'Just remember, payback's a real bitch.'

'A real sexy bitch, I bet.'

'You know it.'


	59. The Consummation Surprise

When the cake had been cut and served and Body's face was red as the bride's hair from compliments, the guests began to filter off to their hotel rooms; those with the youngest babies left the party the earliest with the promise to see them bright and shiny the next morning for the post-wedding breakfast until only Alexis, Shane and Castle and Becket were left at one of the tables, still poking at the remains of the cake.

'This feels very familiar,' Beckett commented as they all listened to the sounds of the city below, the air sweet and teasing.

'Only that time, it was Ryan and Jenny who got married, I was just the wedding planner,' Alexis replied, her fingers laced with Shane's. 'Now it's our turn to be the newlyweds.'

Shane watched Alexis pop a strawberry in her mouth, give a little moan, and he cleared his throat. He'd waited for nearly four nights to sleep with Alexis this week and he'd reached his limit.

'Well, I think we should turn in for the night, it's been a hell of a day,' he said on a light laugh, a little blush creeping up his neck and was midly relieved when he saw the same faintly reddish hue on Castle's cheeks as well.

'Yeah, and I'm sure you want to get some rest before flying to Bermuda tomorrow.'

'But I thought you were going on the two-pm flight, plenty of time to...' Beckett trailed off, as she realized the awkwardness of the current group of people. 'Yeah, on second thought, you need to get your rest so you don't wind up at the wrong gate thanks to party hangover.'

'Exactly.'

Castle and Beckett kissed the bride and groom goodnight, watched them walk hand-in-hand to the elevator lobby, then sighed contentedly.

'Rick?'

'Yeah.'

'You know they're not going to sleep yet.'

'Nope. More cake?'

'You read my mind.'

* * *

><p>By the time Shane carried his bride across the threshold in true romantic tradition, he was ready to get out of the monkey suit and into something far more conducive to sexing up Alexis. He tugged off his tie and yarmulke, his vest and the dress shirt he'd left tucked in for the entire evening with a relaxed sigh.<p>

'That feels better. You want a hand with your dress, wife?'

'Absolutely hubby.'

Alexis turned so her left side faced him. 'It's a side-tuck hidden zipper.'

'Got it.'

Shane found the tab, pulled it down and watched Alexis slip out of the gorgeous white confection, lay it carefully on the chaise-lounge in the parlour of their suite. Then he watched her begin to strip without any ceremony out of the white bustier and stockings and shoes she wore, taking off the necklace Shir had lent her and taking the pins out of her hair until she was quite literally naked before him.

'There, that feels better. I love my dress but fifteen hours in a corset? No thank you. I am going to go and get a shower, because I want to be nice and fresh for our very special first night together as husband and wife.'

'Of course, Lex. Whatever you want.'

Alexis smiled, kissed her husband before she went into the suite's bedroom to find her very special bag of tricks to make herself look good for Shane on this night. She carefully removed all her makeup, dug out the bottle of strawberry scented bath mousse and the massage oil she would use _everywhere_; like her girls had said the honeymoon was about celebrating which included lots and lots of 'baby practice' as RJ was now fond of saying.

She'd turned the taps and soon had steam rising from the curtained Jacuzzi tub; her hair was a damp red waterfall down her back and she'd just finished rubbing herself down with her bath mousse when she heard Shane walk in and she smiled. 'Hi honey,' she started, then squeaked a little when Shane stepped into the shower with her just as naked.

'Shane, what-'

Her words were cut off when he pressed his mouth to hers, lips feasting in revelation. 'Lex,' he said on a lusty sigh, 'I love you so much.'

'I love you too, Shane.'

'Let me show you.'

'Yes.'

Alexis drew him in for a tender kiss, the kind that said more than a thousand love poems ever could. Her fingers, soft and delicate, raked through his damp, dark hair; she heard him make a low moaning noise in his throat, so she followed it with her lips, tracing over his jawline and down his neck until she found his pulse, hammering hard beneath the skin. Her movements were slow and deliberate, and she could feel him getting hard against her from it.

Shane closed his eyes, let his head fall back as Alexis' magical mouth cruised over his skin, where all the most sensitive parts of him seemed to be. He'd always known the first time they made love as husband and wife would be romantic but he certainly didn't think there would be this, this torturous slow tease to build up to the final act of love. His hands moved from her back down to her hips, pulled her tight against his body so she could feel what she did to him, what their love did to each other, and he let out a muffled groan when he found the vee of her thighs achingly wet for him.

'Lex.' He murmured her name, kissed her once again, and let his kisses for a trail over her shoulders as his hands renwed their search to bring her nothing but pleasure. They came around to cup her breasts; her nipples were already teased into hot little peaks for him and he dipped her body backward so he could dip his head and let his tongue dart out to taste one. The strangled cry she gave had a fresh wave of heat rippling from her core and Shane continued his journey south on her body until he was kneeling before her, planting sticky, open-mouthed kisses up his wife's inner thigh until he found her and used his tongue on her while his hands held her hips steady above him.

'Shane! Oh god! Fuck!'

Alexis had no idea where the power to utter her oaths or her husband's name came from, for when she felt his tongue glide over her honeypot, she was fairly certainly her brain had liquefied and was running out of her ears. Her hips rocked against him in a deep grind as she whimpered in time with each pass he gave her. Reaching out blindly she found the shower bar and clenched it with a white-knuckle grip and not a moment too soon; as she felt the cool metal beneath her hand, Shane's hand slipped up her thigh, between her legs where she felt him part those sweet, secretive lips and drive his tongue inside her. The suddenness of it, the wantonness of it had her convulsing, mind and body so that her orgasm took her by surprise and she was suddenly in a freefall of sensation. Lost, as lights burst in starbursts inside her closed eyes, she opened them and watched him stand back up in front of her.

'Hold on to me, Alexis,' he breathed in a voice rusty with need for her and her alone. He watched her hands slipped from the bar up to his shoulders, then took one of those lovely, delicate hands in his, guided it between their bodies to find him hard and ready for her and helped him find his way inside her.

When he was ready, Shane moved her hand from between them, and hooked one long leg over his his hip as he drove the rest of the way into her. He braced them against the tiled wall, keeping his strokes deliberately slow to draw out the pleasure. Her short, neatly manicured nails bit into his shoulders as she clutched at his back, begging him not to stop, his eyes on her face the entire time.

'So close, Shane, so close, right...there,' Alexis moaned in his ear as she began to come, the second orgasm hitting her like a beautiful tsunami this time. 'Shane I love you so much.'

He felt the shift in his body as she clenched around him and Shane moaned back to her, 'I love you too Alexis, I can't...oh...God!'

Then somehow he found her mouth and she swallowed his moan as they dove over the edge and into oblivion.

They stood twined together and still joined, hearts thumping beneath the hot spray of the shower head, and just reveling in each other's presence.

'Lex?'

'Yes?'

'That's exactly how I thought our wedding night first time would be. Hot and passionate until we thought we might die.'

Alexis let out a satisfied chuckle, kissed his shoulder as she felt his hand stroked through her damp red hair. 'Shane?'

'Yes?'

'Why didn't you let me get all freshened up? Why the shower?'

'Well, I was puttering around getting the room ready for us when it suddenly occurred to me.' Shane leaned back, pushed his wet dark locks out of his eyes. 'We'd just finished showering together when Kevin and Javi came knocking on our door and our relationship cat was out of the bag. Tonight, everyone knows we're going to bang like rabbits on Viagra in mating season, so why not bookend it, so to speak?'

'That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in my life,' Alexis laughed, then kissed him. 'And it suits us perfectly.'

'Come on. Why don't we finish up in here, get some sleep and then maybe tomorrow morning, we can have the cheesy traditional candles and white lace.'

'I think that sounds like a great idea. Only...let's not wait until tomorrow morning.'

'Even better.'


	60. The Honeymoon Takeoff

The next morning, after a night of what seemed to be nothing but passionate bliss, Alexis awoke to the ringing of the hotel room's phone. Reaching over, she picked it up and answered with a sleepily satisfied, 'Good morning, honeymoon suite.'

'Good morning, _Missus_ Weaver,' Ryan replied with a cheeky tone. 'The big man up yet?'

Alexis rolled over, saw her hubby was still out for the count. 'Not yet, Kevin, he's...pretty tired after last night.'

'That's my girl. Just let him know that Pearlmutter and his wife had to leave early, family emergency.'

'Oh okay. What time is it even?'

'Almost nine-thirty. What?' There was the sound of a little voice on Ryan's end of the phone and he came back on the line sounding just a touch exasperated. 'Lex, there is a young man who needs a word with you.'

After a quick shuffle of the receivers, Alexis grinned when she heard the young masculine voice of Dell Ryan. 'Hello? Is this the new Missus Alexis Weaver?'

'Yes it is, Dell,' she replied with a little wiggle; the movement had Shane lifting his head from the pillow and mouthing _who is it_ to her. 'What can I do for you this morning?'

'I wanted to know since you said it's okay for me to look after Chubbs while you and Shane are on your honeymoon vacation, if I can take him to the hospital day-care school for show and tell.'

'Well, he's Shane's fish, so you have to ask him.'

Alexis passed him the receiver, let Dell make the request man to man, watched Shane's face go change expression as he listened to Dell make his case.

'Well, you have to know Dell, that Chubbs if very special to me and Alexis, he's like our baby right now. Yes, just like Arturo is Tessi's baby. Do you promise to take good care of him? Uh-huh, and change his water and make sure he doesn't get too much sunlight? Okay, then you may take him to the day care for two days. Yes any two days you like. Okay. Okay, here you go.'

Shane handed the receiver back over to Alexis once more, rubbed his hand over her arm as she told Dell they'd be there for breakfast shortly, then hung up to give Shane a kiss.

'Good morning hubby.'

'Morning wife. I take it no morning sex today?'

Alexis laughed, kissing him again. 'You wore me out, Doctor Weaver.'

'That's a two way street, Missus Weaver. A very hot, very fun two way street,' he added, stealing another kiss, then patting her knee, got up and searched for a shower towel. 'Checklist time. Our bags are packed for the airport, I've got our passports and traveller's cash and cheques, and the town car is set to whisk us to JFK at eleven-thirty this morning.'

'Have you got your whiskey for the flight?'

'I'll get it at the airport. And because I'm determined to not be a sissy-pants on our honeymoon, I am only taking a single shot per flight.'

'That's growth,' Alexis laughed. 'Amongst other things on our honeymoon.'

'Mm, you are going to be the death of me.' Shane came back over for one more kiss. 'In the best possible way.'

* * *

><p>Once dressed and showered, they made their way to the private banquet room where the reception dinner for the guests the night before the wedding had been held. This time, however, instead of a bounty of bite-sized snacks, there was a table of bacon and eggs and fruit salad and pancakes, and a station with two chefs doing waffles and omelettes. Their arrival would have gone unannounced had it not been for RJ catching sight of them across the room and hollering, 'Shane! Alessis! You guys here!'<p>

Everyone turned and saw the bride and groom had arrived, gave them a little applause as RJ gave them a big hug each. 'You guys paddisin' fo' a baby yesserday nigh'?'

'Who told you that?' Shane asked, scooping up his brother-in-law in a hug, and RJ smiled.

'Carey say tha' wha' happen on a honey-moo.'

'Carey did, did he?' Alexis tickled her brother's stomach, looked over at Carey who had suddenly become very interested in his eggs and fruit. 'The truth is RJ, baby-practice is something private and special between two people who love each other.'

'Oh.' RJ nodded solemnly, then made a little X over his heart. 'I puh-romis, I no' be embar'sin'.'

'That's my boy. Now, which way to the omelettes?'

'I do it! I show you where it is!'

RJ wriggled to his feet and pulled Alexis over to the table for a plate while Chaim and Shir came up to Shane and kissed his cheeks. 'Oh, mazel tov, Scheine,' Shir said with tears in her eyes. 'My baby boy all grown up and married.'

'Mama, I'm almost forty one.'

'And your point is what?' Chaim chuckled. 'Your mama will always call you her baby. And just wait until you and our _shani_ daughter-in-law start a family.'

'Papa, you've been hanging around RJ too much,' Shane replied, the same laugh in his voice. 'Besides, Alexis has her medical school and residency in a clinic to complete before we think of these things.'

'Sometimes the universe has other ideas in mind,' Shir reminded him. 'Look at your lovely wife.'

Shane felt the punch in his gut as he looked at Alexis standing hand in hand with RJ at the buffet while she waited for her omelette. 'Yeah, I am. Don't want to look at anything else.'

'I hope you have a good time on your honeymoon, Scheine,' Chaim told his son, silently adding, _though the way you're looking at her that seems a little redundant_.

'Thanks Papa. I better get over there before RJ had a stroke.' Shane pointed where RJ was waving him over wildly, pausing to kiss his parents' cheeks.

'Shane! Look! We are havin' om-ah-lits! They are so yummy. Are you goin' to make Alessis om-ah-lits on your honey-moo?'

'I hope so.'

'She loves om-ah-lits. An' you too.'

'Of course I come after the omelettes,' Shane laughed, then turning, nearly bumped into Body and Faisal. 'Hey guys!'

'Just wanted to let you know we have to take off, but I hope you guys have a great time on your honeymoon and enjoy that catch-boo we got doen for you,' Faisal informed them, knowing his deliberate botching of the Hebrew word would make his friends laugh.

'Yes, our _ketubah_ will look very nice hanging beside out wedding portrait. Thanks again for the framing.'

'Any time.' Faisal gave him and Alexis hugs, as did Body, and Alexis watched them walk out hand in hand; she turned back when she felt RJ's hand patting her hip.

'Alessis, Misser Shef say you' om-ah-lit ready.'

'Thanks bro.'

They ate together with RJ, as he'd been quite miffed about not being allowed to sit with his sister and brother-in-law at the wedding and was determined to make up for it. When the time came to say their good-byes to the guests and make their way to the airport, Shane found himself surprisingly at ease about the prospect of flying. It had to be the newlywed glow giving him an invincible shield of protection, or maybe it was the fact he'd gotten the best woman in the world to marry him.

Alexis watched Shane carefully as they checked in their baggage, made their way to the international terminal. Her husband was so adorable when he was trying to keep his nerves under control. She knew how stressed he got when he was forced to be in an airplane, but so far, he looked pretty good.

'So,' she told him when they'd watched their luggage go down the chute, 'we had a great wedding in spite of all the catastrophes leading up to it. Think I can say it now?'

'Go for it,' Shane laughed.

'We are finally jinx-free, my gorgeous new hubby.'

'I think you're right, my gorgeous new wife.'

'Excuse me, Mister and Missus Weaver.' The ticket agent looked up with a little apology on her face. 'According to this, we don't have booked in business class.'

'What?' Shane blinked at the woman. 'We booked those tickets almost a year ago, how could they be lost?'

'Not lost, sir,' the ticket agent assured him. 'It says here that your seats were upgraded for all four of your flights, with a little note saying happy honeymoon from the Twelfth Precinct family.'

'Upgraded?' Alexis asked. 'What does that mean?'

'It means you'll be flying first class from here to Hamilton to Rome and back. If you like, feel free to enjoy a drink in our first-class lounge while you wait for your flight.'

Shane managed to hold his tongue until they got to the lounge. 'Holy shit, Lex!' he hissed, looking around at the leather and wood furnishings; they might have been in a swank bistro on Park Avenue instead of in an airport. He made the executive decision then and there to skip his usual bourbon and Diet Coke on the airplane and instead ordered two glasses of champagne from the bartender. 'They didn't have to do this.'

'You're telling me,' Alexis said with a shake of her head, then took one of the flutes of champagne the bartender slid to them. She held it up, a half-inch from Shane's. 'What should we toast to?'

Shane pondered it a moment, then gave her a wide smile. 'To love, and all the ways it comes through.'


End file.
